Focus on Eyes: Cancer not only affects the area around the eyes, but can occur in the eye itself

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Ocular cancer is a malignant tumor that starts and grows inside the eye. The cancer cells grow uncontrolledly, damage healthy eye tissues and spread to the other parts of the body.

Ocular melanoma is the most common cancer in the eye among adults. It arises from cells that produce pigments which give color to the skin, hair and eye.

Like melanoma of the skin, there are ocular melanomas inside the eye and on the surface of the eye.

Most ocular melanomas are intraocular or inside the eyes so they are difficult to detect by self-examination.

In the early stages, they seldom have any symptoms.

As the melanoma grows, it may cause blurry vision, distorted vision or blind spot in the peripheral vision.

Sometimes the eye may experience flashes of light.

There may be change in the color of iris or shape of the pupil. Melanoma of the conjunctiva which is a rare form of melanoma, appears as a brown or dark spot on the transparent surface of the eye.

The intraocular melanoma is diagnosed with a dilated eye examination. Because of lack of signs and symptoms, many melanomas are discovered during routine eye examination so it is important to see your ophthalmologist regularly.

Patients with suspected melanomas are usually referred to an ocular oncologist, an ophthalmologist who specializes in the diagnosis and management of eye cancers.

Primary intraocular lymphoma is a cancer that affects the white blood cells and starts inside the eye.

Most patients with lymphoma of the eye are elderly or immunocompromised.

The common symptoms for eye lymphoma include blurry vision, floaters, light sensitivity, redness and swelling of the eye.

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Retinoblastoma is a rare form of childhood eye cancer. In an eye with retinoblastoma, the pupil looks white when light shines in the eye. The eye may be swollen, red and wanders.

The eyelids can have skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and skin melanoma. The oil glands and tear glands in the eyelids can develop into cancers.

Cancers can be found in the orbit behind the eyeball. The eye may protrude outward. There may be pressure sensation, double vision or blurry vision.

There are many advances in the diagnoses and treatments of eye cancers. In the majority of ocular cancers, a patient can expect successful control of the cancer, preservation of visual function and the survival of the eye.