OCULAR MELANOMA

OCULAR MELANOMA

Overview and Facts

Ocular melanoma is the most common type of eye cancer, generally affecting the uvea, the pigmented middle layer of the eye, and the white part of the eye. It is a type of cancer that stems from the pigment cells called melanocytes, which produces a pigment called melanin that provides color to the eyes.

Ocular melanoma may not exhibit early signs or symptoms, and tumors can be tough to spot and monitor with a small mirror because melanoma develops on the part of the eye that one cannot see. Treatment for eye melanomas may either conserve the eye and vision or cause eyesight loss.

Types and Symptoms

SYMPTOMS

There are no early signs and symptoms for ocular melanoma lest it grows advance. Signs and symptoms can include:

  • A perception of unusual flashing lights and ‘floaters.’
  • A growing dark spot on the iris and conjunctiva
  • Significant changes in the pupil’s size or shape
  • Blurry eyesight and obstruction of the visual field in one eye
  • Distorted peripheral vision

Complications from ocular melanoma may also arise and may affect especially those patients with an advanced stage. Complications can include:

  • Increase in intraocular pressure (eye pain, redness, and blurry vision)
  • Loss of eyesight
  • Ocular melanoma metastasizing in other parts of the body

Diagnosis & Medications

DIAGNOSIS

In diagnosing ocular melanoma, an array of specialized tests will be conducted. Such tests include:

  • Eye exam: A test that uses an ophthalmoscope to view structures of the assess and assessthe eye for possible enlargement of the blood vessels.
  • Eye ultrasound: A test that uses high-frequency sound waves to measure and generate large images of the eye, which will allow the doctor to measure the size of the melanoma.
  • Angiogram: A test that takes an image of the blood vessels in the eye. It allows doctors to produce a picture of structures of the eye to spot the existence of a tumor
  • Optical coherence tomography: A test that light waves to produce detailed images of the back of the eye.
  • Biopsy: A sample tissue is removed from the surface of the eye then examined in a laboratory.

It is also paramount to detect whether cancer has metastasized. Tests to verify this include:

  • Measuring liver function through blood tests
  • Chest X-ray
  • Abdominal ultrasound to check whether it has metastasized in the liver
  • Computerized tomography (CT) scan
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
  • Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

 

TREATMENT

Treatment procedures and interventions differ reliant upon various factors such as tumor size, location of the tumor, and the general health.

Small ocular melanoma may not need treatment; however, when melanoma continues to grow, treatments will be administered; these include:

  • Radiation therapy: extinguishes the genetic material of cancer cells using beams of powerful energy x-rays
  • Laser treatment: killing cancerous cells using infrared lights
  • Photodynamic therapy: kills cancerous cells using light and photosensitizing chemical substance
  • Cryotherapy: freeze and kill the cancerous cells
  • Surgery: removal of either the tumor or the whole eye

Some tests will be repeated to see improvements.

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