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PlaqueBrachytherapy to TreatChoroidalMelanoma L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S s Describe the basic anatomy of the eye s List the treatment methods for choroidal melanoma s Discuss what causes this condition s Detail the procedure for plaque brachytherapy s Identify the possible complications following this procedure Karr i Schultz , cst 1 Scott CN Ol iver, md 1,2 B A S I C A N A T O M Y O F T H E E Y E T he function of the eye is to convert light into an electrochemi- cal signal, which is transmitted to the brain and converted into vision. Several parts of the eye work together to achieve this. Light enters through the clear cornea in the anterior part of the eye. It passes through the water- like aqueous fluid and into the crystalline lens. Behind the lens in the posterior part of the eye is the vitre- ous fluid, a jelly-like sub- stance that fills the body of the eye. This fluid is firmly Melanoma is defined as a malignant tumor of melanin-producing cells. 1 Typically, melanoma is associated with skin cancer, as most melanin-producing cells, or melanocytes, are located in the skin’s epidermis. However, melanocytes also are present in other parts of the body. One area that contains melanocytes is the choroidal layer of the eye located beneath the retina. Because the choroid contains melanocytes, it is possible to develop melanoma in the eye. In North America, six out of every one million people will be diagnosed with choroidal melanoma each year. 2 SEPTEMBER 2018 | The Surgical Technologist | 399 Figure 1 Anatomy of a healthy eye Illustrationby JonathanRose,CDT 1.UCHealthEyeCenter,Aurora,CO 2.UniversityofColoradoSchoolofMedicine