Details & plan

The exact wording the pathologist used was that the results of the biopsy are "suspicious for melanoma."

He therefore recommends plaque radiotherapy. Not sure what that is? It goes something like this:

<Philadelphia>
On a Thursday: I have surgery to have a radioactive piece of metal ("plaque") sewn to the surface of my eyeball over which I'll wear a lead patch (!)
On the following Monday: I have surgery to remove the radioactive plaque
</Philadelphia>

<Recovery>
Week 1: no driving
Week 2: no strenuous activity (no lifting anything more than 25 lbs), pools, or saunas
</Recovery>

I may have blurry, doubled, or distorted vision right away; I also may have flashes or floaters. These should subside as my eye heals from the radioactive intrusion.

I'll have follow-up appointments:

• at 2 months: here in Madison
• at 4 months: back in Philadelphia

Then, over the next year:

• I will develop a cataract
• I may develop cornea damage

I'll do a post on the science of plaque radiotherapy later (maybe). Nerds out there, this will have to suffice in the meantime:

• Radioactive Plaque Therapy
• Eye and Vision Sparing Radiation Therapy for Intraocular Tumors