When is an enucleation necessary? Enucleation is a procedure that is performed as a last resort and can follow certain disease or severe injury to an eye. Diseases that can necessitate enucleation include end-stage glaucoma or ocular tumors such as retinoblastoma or uveal melanoma.
What are the indications of enucleation?
The following are indications for enucleation:
- Intraocular malignancy or high suspicion for intraocular malignancy (most commonly uveal melanoma and retinoblastoma)
- Trauma.
- Blind, painful eye.
- Severe infection without visual potential.
- Sympathetic ophthalmia.
- Microphthalmos.
When should you do enucleation?
Eye Removal (Evisceration or Enucleation)
One of the most common reasons is to alleviate a painful eye that is blind due to diabetes, chronic retinal detachment, trauma, or other conditions. Growth of a tumor in the eye, non-remitting infection, or certain injuries can also necessitate more urgent eye removal.
