Headache with Aura: A case report of ocular melanoma

Background

Headaches and visual complaints are common conditions encountered in the emergency department. While a patient's age, risk factors, and comorbidities often aid in risk stratification and guide emergency department evaluation, atypical presentations of serious disease may still occur in young otherwise healthy patients

Case

In this vignette we discuss a case of ocular (choroidal) melanoma in a 21?year-old female patient who presented with recurrent photopsia and headaches.

Discussion

Ocular melanoma is the most common non-skin melanoma and should be considered by the emergency physician for patients with visual deficits. Likely presentations and risk factors for ocular melanoma will be discussed as well as emergency department and specialty management.