Cancer of the Eyes
The following are some of the several forms of cancer that can impact the eyes:
- melanoma in the eyes
- carcinoma of the squamous cell
- cancer of the lymph nodes
- retinoblastoma, a malignancy of the young
Additionally, cancer may occasionally begin in the tissues around your eye or may move from other regions of your body, such the breasts or lungs, to the eye.
One of the most prevalent forms of eye cancer, melanoma of the eye, is the subject of this discussion.
signs of cancer in the eyes
Eye cancer may go undetected for a long time and only be discovered during a routine eye exam.
Eye cancer symptoms can include:
- shadows, bright spots, or squiggly lines in your field of vision
- hazy vision
- a black circle in your eye that is expanding
- loss of vision, either partial or complete
- one eye’s bulging
- a bulge becoming larger on your eyelid or inside your eye
- discomfort in or around the eyes, however infrequently
These symptoms are not always indicative of malignancy because they can also be brought on by less serious eye diseases. Nonetheless, it’s critical to see a physician as soon as possible to have the symptoms examined.
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ocular melanoma
Melanoma is a type of cancer that arises from melanocytes, which are cells that produce pigment. Although they can arise in other regions of the body, such as the eye, melanomas typically form in the skin.
The eyeball is most frequently affected by eye melanoma. Doctors may refer to it as choroidal or uveal melanoma, depending on the precise area of the eye that is impacted.
It may also impact the eyelid or the conjunctiva, the thin layer covering the front of the eye.
Why does ocular melanoma occur?
When the pigment-producing cells in the eyes divide and replicate too quickly, eye melanoma develops. This results in the formation of a tumor—a mass of tissue.
Although the precise cause of this is unknown, the following elements may make it more likely to occur:
- lighter eye color: Compared to persons with brown eyes, those with blue, grey, or green eyes are more likely to acquire eye melanoma.
- Eye melanoma primarily affects White individuals and is more prevalent in those with fair complexion. White or pale skin
- Unusual moles: If your moles are oddly colored or shaped, you run a higher chance of developing eye melanoma and skin cancer.
- use of sunbeds: Research indicates that using sunbeds to expose oneself to ultraviolet (UV) radiation may raise the chance of developing eye melanoma.
- excessive sun exposure: this raises the risk of skin cancer and may contribute to the development of eye melanoma.
Age is also associated with an increased chance of developing eye melanoma, with most cases being identified in those in their fifties.
Making an ocular melanoma diagnosis
Your primary care physician (GP) or optician (optometrist) will recommend you for an evaluation to an ophthalmologist, an expert in treating eye conditions.
They will send you to a specialized center for eye cancer if they feel you have melanoma of the eye. In the United Kingdom, there are four centers: London, Sheffield, Liverpool, and Glasgow.
At the center, you’ll probably have a variety of tests, such as:
- an examination of the eyes to look more closely at their architecture and seek for any anomalies
- An ultrasound scan of your eye allows your doctor to learn more about the location and size of the tumor by using high-frequency sound waves and a tiny probe placed over your closed eye to create an image of the inside of your eye.
- a fluorescein angiography, in which a special camera is used to capture pictures of the suspected cancer after a dye injection is made into your bloodstream to highlight the tumor
A tiny sample of cells from the tumor may occasionally be removed using a fine needle (biopsy). These cells’ genetic information is analyzed to provide a prediction of the likelihood that the cancer will spread or recur.
Eye melanoma treatments
The size and location of the tumor determine the course of treatment for ocular melanoma. The pros and cons of each treatment option, as well as any potential consequences, will be thoroughly explained by your care team.
Whenever possible, the goal of treatment will be to preserve the damaged eye.
Treatments for ocular melanoma primarily consist of:
- Brachytherapy involves inserting small, radioactively-lined plates called plaques in close proximity to the tumor and leaving them there for up to a week in order to destroy the malignant cells.
- External radiotherapy involves using a machine to precisely target radiation beams at the tumor in order to destroy the malignant cells.
- surgery to remove the tumor or a portion of the eye may be an option if the tumor is tiny and your eyesight in the affected eye is still intact.
- removal of the eye (enucleation); if the tumor is huge or you have lost eyesight, this procedure may be required. Eventually, the natural eye will be replaced with an artificial one that looks like your other eye.
Chemotherapy may be appropriate for other types of eye cancer, but it is rarely used for eye melanoma.
Further details regarding the many forms of eye cancer surgery and treatment options are available on the website of Cancer Research UK.
