Neovascular glaucoma after photoradiation therapy for uveal melanoma.

We describe two patients (two eyes) with neovascular glaucoma following photoradiation therapy (PRT) for ciliary body and iris melanoma. Histopathologic examination in one eye eight months after treatment disclosed widespread tumor necrosis. The second patient with iris melanoma showed total clinical disappearance of the lesion and regression of iris neovascularization six months later. The cause of the neovascular glaucoma is uncertain. The marked tumor necrosis induced by PRT might have resulted in release of a vasoproliferative factor that, in turn, led to the development of rubeosis and neovascular glaucoma.