Will my eyes have to be removed if I have uveal melanoma?

Whether or not your eyes will have to be removed depends on the severity of your uveal melanoma. If the tumor is still small, especially if it's on the iris or ciliary body, it might be possible to remove only the tumor and a small portion of the surrounding tissue without removing your entire eye. If the tumor is too large, or if removing the tumor itself would damage the rest of your eye beyond repair, it may be necessary to remove the entire eye. This kind of surgery is called enucleation, and in some cases, the eyelid, nerves, and other surrounding tissue may be removed along with the eye itself. If enucleation is necessary, doctors are often able to replace your eye with an implant and, eventually, an artificial eye that closely resembles your own eye. It's important to remember that although losing your eye may be traumatic, it may be the best treatment to save your life.