What Is Cancer of the Eye?

What are the Most Common Tumor Types and Their Location?

The most common primary intraocular tumor in adults is Uveal (Ocular) Melanoma, which typically forms in the choroid (the vascular layer beneath the retina). This is the most frequent eye cancer in adults and can metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body, making early detection vital.

In children, the most common cancer is retinoblastoma, which originates in the retina and is highly curable if caught early. Secondary (metastatic) eye cancer often spreads from the breast or lung.

What Symptoms are Associated with Intraocular and Adnexal Tumors?

Symptoms associated with intraocular tumors can be subtle, including new floaters, sudden flashes of light, a persistent shadow or curtain in the peripheral visual field, a change in iris color, or reduced vision that does not resolve.

Adnexal tumors (eyelid or orbit) cause more obvious symptoms like proptosis (bulging of the eye), a visible, rapidly growing lump on the eyelid that bleeds, or persistent swelling around the eye. Any persistent, unexplained vision change warrants immediate investigation.

How Does This Condition Impact Vision or Eye Health?

Eye cancer severely impacts vision by destroying the light-sensitive cells of the retina, causing a retinal detachment, or directly damaging the optic nerve. Loss of vision is common, and the life-saving treatment often focuses on removing the tumor while preserving as much of the remaining visual structure and function as possible.

Diagnostic Procedures

Diagnosis involves a extensive dilated eye exam. Imaging tests such as ultrasound (A-scan and B-scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Computed Tomography (CT scans) are used to confirm the tumor's size, exact location, and extent of spread. A biopsy is often necessary to confirm the malignancy type and guide treatment.

What is the Role of Ocular Oncology?

Ocular oncology is the specialized medical field dedicated to diagnosing and managing eye tumors. Treatment is highly specialized and involves various modalities, including plaque radiotherapy (placing a small radioactive disc on the tumor), proton beam therapy, chemotherapy, laser treatment, or, in severe cases where the tumor is large or sight is unsalvageable, surgical removal of the eye (enucleation).