Purpose: The malignant melanoma of the uvea (MMU) is the most common intraocular tumor among adults. The aim of the retrospective study was to evaluate the stage of the malignant melanoma of the uvea (MMU) at the time of diagnosis in a group of patients, to whom it was diagnosed in the Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty Hospital Brno. In the years 2005 and 2006, there had been diagnosed the MMU in 19 patients (11 women and 8 men) with the average age of 64.6 ± 9.0 years. Methods: The group of 19 patients was analyzed in accordance to various criteria: age, sex, location of MMU (iris, ciliary body, and choroid), size of MMU at the time of diagnosis, clinical signs of MMU, methods used in the diagnostic evaluation of the MMU, its treatment, histological type, TNM classification, and metastases. Results: MM of the choroid was diagnosed in 14 cases, MM of the ciliary body in 4 cases and MM of the iris in 1 patient. The MMU was asymptomatic in 3 patients, in 2 patients manifested with the pain, and in all other cases (in 14 patients) manifested with the decrease of the visual acuity. The patient with MM of the iris was treated by means of therapeutic partial iridectomy and lamelar keratectomy, 5 patients were treated by means of brachytherapy, 3 patients were treated by means of Leksell gama knife and 10 patients underwent the enucleation because of large size of the tumor. At the time of the MMU diagnosis, there were no metastases present in any of the 19 patients. Conclusion: Despite to the currently diagnostic possibilities available, the majority of MMU is diagnosed at late stage, which requires radical surgical treatment. The variety of MMU clinical signs’ knowledge may help to the early diagnosis of MMU, which will contribute to the opportunity to use the treatment, which particulary spares the visual functions.

        Key words: malignant melanoma of the uvea (MMU), iris, ciliary body, choroid, early diagnosis, brachytherapy, Leksell gama knife (LGN), enucleation