Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Box 8069, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. harbour@vision.wustl.edu
AIM: To investigate the association between posterior uveal melanoma and iris freckles, iris naevi, and choroidal naevi. METHODS: Cross sectional study of 65 patients with posterior uveal melanoma and 218 controls. Iris colour, iris freckles, iris naevi, and choroidal naevi were recorded for each eye of each patient. RESULTS: Iris freckles were present in 40 (61.5%) patients with melanoma and 135 (61.9%) controls (p = 0.494). Iris naevi were present in four (6.2%) patients with melanoma and nine (4.1%) controls (p = 0.955). Choroidal naevi were present in 12 (18.5%) patients with melanoma and 38 (17.4%) controls (p = 0.815). CONCLUSION: This study did not detect an association between posterior uveal melanoma and iris freckles, iris naevi, or choroidal naevi.