Dr. Prakash Bhagat, Surgical Oncologist, HCG – Abdur Razzaque Ansari Cancer Hospital – Ranchi.
Cancer can originate in any part of the body. The eyes are no exception. Cancers that originate in the eye are less common vis-a-vis many others. It is classified based on the type of cell it begins in. The eye cancer seen most often is intraocular melanoma.
Intraocular melanoma is rare cancer that forms inside the eye. It causes melanocytes (cells that produce pigment or color) to grow out of control. The disease can lead to vision changes or loss. This type of eye cancer usually starts in the choroid. The three major parts of the eye are the eyeball and the three main layers (retina, uvea, and sclera), the orbit (tissues surrounding the eyeball), and the adnexal (connected parts like the eyelids and tear glands). Different types of eye cancer can occur in any of these parts.
The two types of intraocular cancers include primary (cancer that originates in the eye) and secondary (when cancer has spread to the eye but started somewhere else).
The chief types of primary intraocular cancers include melanoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In the case of children, the most common intraocular cancers are Retinoblastoma (cancer in cells of the retina) and haemangioma (a benign tumor of the choroid and retina that develops in the blood vessels).
Among the prominent forms of intraocular cancers, Intraocular melanomas are the most common form of eye cancer among adults. It is a condition of the melanocytes of the eye due to its exposure to a harmful skin cancer known as melanoma. It can spread to the other parts of the body and affect other tissues in and around the eye, including the iris, ciliary body, conjunctiva, and eyelids.
Some of the causes of Intraocular Melanoma are:
Exposure to UV rays and tanning beds
Skin problems
Age Factor
Conjunctival melanoma is a type of tumor that develops in the conjunctiva and, if left untreated, may spread to the lymph nodes. There are chances of recurrence of this cancer, and it may appear on the surface of the eye in the form of a dark spot.
Symptoms of Intraocular Cancer: Unlike most other cancers, eye cancer may not show any obvious symptoms and is most likely discovered during a routine eye check-up.
- Some of the signs and symptoms of intraocular cancer are:
- The bulging of an eye
- Partial or complete loss of vision
- Lump on the surface of the eye and eyelids
- Blurry vision
- Soreness
- Change in shape of the pupil
- Changes in the appearance of the eye
- Seeing spots or flashes
- A dark spot in the iris
- Chronic inflammation of the conjunctiva.