Eye Cancer

Eye cancer is any type of cancer that can form in or around your eye. Regular eye exams can help detect eye cancer early.

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Cancer can start in the eye, or it can spread to the eye from another part of the body.

The most common type of eye cancer is intraocular melanoma, also called uveal melanoma. “Intraocular” means “in the eye,” and melanoma is a type of skin cancer. Intraocular melanoma is a type of skin cancer in the eye.

Specialized, multidisciplinary care for eye cancer

We bring together experts from different fields of medicine to work together as a team that provides your care. board-certified ophthalmologists lead our eye cancer care teams, and all are experienced in treating the spectrum of eye cancers. They work closely with medical oncologists, surgical oncologists and radiation oncologists and a dedicated group of nurses and social workers. Together, they design the best personalized plan for you.

Your care team may also include a certified ocularist, who specializes in the creation and fitting of artificial eyes.

Signs and symptoms of eye cancers

Dark spots, floaters, or other sudden changes in your vision could be signs of eye cancer. Floaters are specks or lines you can see drifting around in your field of vision.

Other symptoms of eye cancer include:

Bulging of the eye
A change in the size or shape of your pupil (the black part in the center of your eye)
Seeing flashes of light
Any loss of vision
A change in your eyeball’s position in the eye socket

If you have any of these symptoms, that doesn’t mean you have eye cancer. These symptoms can also be signs of many less serious conditions. Speak to your ophthalmologist, a doctor who specializes in eye diseases, if you experience any of these symptoms.

How eye cancer is diagnosed

Regular eye exams can help detect eye cancer early. If your regular eye doctor finds any signs of eye cancer, you should be referred to an ophthalmologist who is trained to test for eye cancers.

An ophthalmologist uses several different tests to look for eye cancer, such as shining an intense beam of light at the eye and examining the eye through a special microscope.

Your provider may perform the following tests to determine if you have eye cancer:

Specialized imaging. Ultrasounds and other highly specialized imaging tests check the blood vessels in your eye and can find tumors.
Biopsy. This test involves taking a sample of your skin tissue testing it in a lab to see if any cancer cells are present.

Cancer patient in hallway at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center

Every cancer diagnosis is unique.

That’s why getting a second opinion matters. Our cancer experts can confirm your diagnosis and help you understand all your treatment options.

Learn more about getting a second opinion

Treatments for eye cancer

Treatment for your particular type of eye cancer will depend on the type of cancer and how much your tumor has grown. Treatments for eye cancer include chemotherapy, laser therapy, radiation therapy and surgery.

We also offer clinical trials, which are research studies that test the latest treatments and drugs that are not yet available to the public. These new treatments have the potential to improve your quality of life or increase your chances of survival. These treatments are available to Holden patients before they’re widely available on the market.