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Objective To report on the incidence and outcome of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after transscleral local resection of choroidal melanoma. Design Prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. Participants One hundred fifty-six patients with choroidal melanoma treated by transscleral local resection between January 1993 and June 2000. Intervention Transscleral choroidectomy or cyclochoroidectomy for uveal melanoma, with ocular decompression by single-port pars plana vitrectomy and, in most patients, adjunctive ruthenium plaque radiotherapy. Main outcome measures Incidence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment according to predictive factors and outcomes reported in terms of anatomic success, visual acuity, and ocular conservation. Results Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment occurred in 28 (18%) eyes and was significantly more common in patients with thick tumors (Cox univariate analysis, P = 0.001) and in males (Cox univariate analysis, P = 0.013), with posterior tumor extension being of borderline significance (Cox univariate analysis, P = 0.069). Surgical treatment of the retinal detachment was performed in 25 patients; it was undertaken at our center in 22 patients and at the referring hospital in 3 patients. Anatomic success was achieved in 21 (84%) of these 25 patients, with 7 eyes retaining counting fingers vision, and 3 eyes seeing 6/60 or better. Ten eyes treated for retinal detachment were enucleated because of recurrent tumor (four eyes), retinal detachment (three eyes), wound dehiscence (one eye), phthisis (one eye), and poor visual acuity (one eye). Eleven eyes known to have a retinal tear underwent prophylactic vitreoretinal surgery at the end of the local resection, with only one (9%) of these subsequently developing retinal detachment. Conclusions Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after transscleral choroidectomy or cyclochoroidectomy for uveal melanoma is a serious complication requiring early vitreoretinal surgery.