Enucleation is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the entire eye, typically due to conditions such as intraocular tumors, severe eye trauma, or end-stage eye diseases like glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. During the procedure, the surgeon removes the eye from its socket and, in most cases, places an orbital implant to maintain the shape of the eye socket.

After enucleation, a prosthetic eye can be fitted to restore cosmetic appearance and improve the patient's quality of life. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia, and recovery typically involves a few weeks of healing.

Enucleation is performed when other treatments are no longer viable and is done to alleviate pain or prevent the spread of disease, especially in cases of ocular malignancy.