Intraocular Tumor and Plaque Brachytherapy Service

What We Do

We provide expert care for patients with intraocular tumors — abnormal growths that develop inside the eye. These may include:

• Uveal / Choroidal melanoma (the most common eye cancer in adults)
• Retinoblastoma (a childhood eye cancer)
• Vascular tumours: Choroidal hemangioma, capillary hemangioma, etc
• Other benign or malignant eye tumorsStable glaucoma

Figure 1: UWF photo and Ultrasound scan of choroidal melanoma

Our service offers:

• Comprehensive eye examinations
• Advanced imaging (to accurately detect and measure tumors)
• Personalized treatment plans to help preserve both vision and eye health
• Diagnostic support from a trained ophthalmic pathologist

We work closely with specialists in oncology, radiation therapy, and ocular imaging to provide seamless, coordinated care.

Treatment

One of the main treatments we offer is plaque brachytherapy, a highly targeted form of radiation therapy designed specifically for intraocular tumors.

How Brachytherapy Works:

• A small radiation device (called a plaque) is placed on the outer wall of the eye, near the tumor
• This allows us to deliver precise radiation directly to the tumor, while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues
• The plaque typically stays in place for several days before removal

Benefits of Brachytherapy:

• Effective in shrinking or controlling many types of eye tumors
• Minimally invasive, with no need to remove the eye in most cases
• Helps preserve useful vision in selected cases
• Lower risk of radiation affecting the rest of the body

Figure 2 Planning simulation of plaque brachytherapy for choroidal melanoma

Surgery

In some cases, surgery may be needed either as a main treatment or alongside other therapies.

Surgical Options May Include:

• Plaque Placement Surgery - to position and later remove the radiation plaque safely
• Tumor Biopsy or Resection - Removing a sample or part of the tumor for diagnosis
• Enucleation - Removal of the eye in rare cases where the tumor is very large or vision cannot be preserved, done only when absolutely necessary by our team of oculoplastic surgeons. This is complimented with our ocular prosthesis service which enables patients to achieve good cosmetic outcomes.

What to Expect:

• Surgeries are performed by experienced eye surgeons
• Focus on preserving your appearance and function wherever possible
• Supportive care, including prosthetics and rehabilitation, is available if needed