Objective To determine the frequency and amount of visual improvement in amblyopic eyes of adults following visual loss in the dominant eye resulting from treatment of uveal melanoma.

Methods and analysis Retrospective case series of adult patients with amblyopia and dominant eye visual loss resulting from treatment of uveal melanoma. Review of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in each eye (amblyopia eye vs melanoma eye) at date first seen and over time following treatment of uveal melanoma. BCVA in each eye was graded as improved (>2 logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) lines) or unimproved (<2 logMAR lines).

Results Twenty-one patients that met the inclusion criteria. Mean age at presentation was 56 years (range 39–73 years). Following treatment of the uveal melanoma and decline of BCVA in the dominant, the BCVA in the amblyopic eye improved in 11/21 (52%; 95% CI 30% to 74 %) patients. The degree of visual loss in the melanoma eye was to the level of the amblyopic eye or worse in 14 patients. In this group, BCVA improved in the amblyopic eye in 9/14 (64%; 95% CI 35% to 87 %) patients. Of these nine with improved eyes, the mean starting visual acuity was logMAR 0.6 (20/80) with mean improvement of logMAR 0.4 (4 lines±0.13 (range 0.2–0.6). Eight of nine eyes achieved a BCVA of 20/25 (n=3) or 20/20 (n=5).

Conclusion Visual acuity in the amblyopic eye of adults can improve following visual loss in the contralateral dominant eye associated with treatment for uveal melanoma.