Eye Melanoma
Eye melanoma is a form of cancer that affects the cells that give the eyes their color (pigment). These cells are also found in the skin and hair. Eye melanoma is rare. Melanoma of the skin is much more common.
Eye melanoma usually starts in the middle layer of the eyeball (uvea). This part of the eye includes the iris, which is the colored area around the pupil. Healthy eye cells may develop genetic changes (mutations) that cause them to grow out of control in the eye. Eye melanoma is usually slow growing. It is also not likely to spread to other parts of the body.
CAUSES
The exact cause of this condition is not known.
RISK FACTORS
The following factors may make you more likely to develop this condition:
• Being in the …show more content…
During the exam, your health care provider will use various instruments to see inside your eye.
• Tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as:
○ Ultrasound. In this test, high-frequency sound waves are used to spot a tumor and determine how big it is.
○ Fluorescein angiography. For this test, a dye is injected into your bloodstream. The dye will glow under a certain type of light, allowing your health care provider to take pictures of the back of your eye.
○ Optical coherence tomography (OCT). This test involves using light waves to get a more detailed image of the retina.
○ Biopsy. A small piece of the tumor may be removed and examined under a microscope for cancerous cells. This is rarely done for eye melanoma.
If eye melanoma is confirmed, your health care provider will determine the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (staging). Additional tests may be needed, such as blood tests, X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI.
TREATMENT
Treatment for this condition depends on your age, your overall health, the size and stage of the tumor, and how treatment could affect your vision. Treatment options may include one or more of the following:
• Surgery to remove the tumor.
○ Smaller tumors may be removed from your
Eye melanoma is a form of cancer that affects the cells that give the eyes their color (pigment). These cells are also found in the skin and hair. Eye melanoma is rare. Melanoma of the skin is much more common.
Eye melanoma usually starts in the middle layer of the eyeball (uvea). This part of the eye includes the iris, which is the colored area around the pupil. Healthy eye cells may develop genetic changes (mutations) that cause them to grow out of control in the eye. Eye melanoma is usually slow growing. It is also not likely to spread to other parts of the body.
CAUSES
The exact cause of this condition is not known.
RISK FACTORS
The following factors may make you more likely to develop this condition:
• Being in the …show more content…
During the exam, your health care provider will use various instruments to see inside your eye.
• Tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as:
○ Ultrasound. In this test, high-frequency sound waves are used to spot a tumor and determine how big it is.
○ Fluorescein angiography. For this test, a dye is injected into your bloodstream. The dye will glow under a certain type of light, allowing your health care provider to take pictures of the back of your eye.
○ Optical coherence tomography (OCT). This test involves using light waves to get a more detailed image of the retina.
○ Biopsy. A small piece of the tumor may be removed and examined under a microscope for cancerous cells. This is rarely done for eye melanoma.
If eye melanoma is confirmed, your health care provider will determine the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (staging). Additional tests may be needed, such as blood tests, X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI.
TREATMENT
Treatment for this condition depends on your age, your overall health, the size and stage of the tumor, and how treatment could affect your vision. Treatment options may include one or more of the following:
• Surgery to remove the tumor.
○ Smaller tumors may be removed from your