Eye Cancer

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Cancer of the eye is uncommon. It can affect the outer parts of the eye, such as the eyelid, which are made up of muscles, skin and nerves. If the cancer starts inside the eyeball it's called intraocular cancer. The most common intraocular cancers in adults are melanoma and lymphoma. The most common eye cancer in children is retinoblastoma, which starts in the cells of the retina. Cancer can also spread to the eye from other parts of the body.

Treatment for eye cancer varies by the type and by how advanced it is. It may include surgery, radiation therapy, freezing or heat therapy, or laser therapy.

Start Here

• General Information about Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• General Information about Retinoblastoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Is Eye Cancer? (American Cancer Society)

Symptoms

• Eye Symptoms (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Stages of Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Stages of Retinoblastoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Are Dilating Eye Drops? (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Risk Factors for Eye Cancer (American Cancer Society)

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Retinoblastoma (National Cancer Institute)
• Treatment of Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Intraocular [Uveal] Melanoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Treatment Option Overview (Retinoblastoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Living as an Eye Cancer Survivor (American Cancer Society)

Related Issues

• Nevus (Eye Freckle) (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Cancers Affecting the Retina (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Retinoblastoma: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Images

• Eyelid Growths (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• What's New In Eye Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Eye Neoplasms (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Retinoblastoma (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Prediction model for ocular metastasis of breast cancer: machine learning model...
• Article: Safety and efficacy of intralesional rituximab injection versus involved site radiation...
• Article: Magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging in lacrimal gland lymphoma versus inflammation: A...
• Eye Cancer -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• How the Eyes Work (National Eye Institute) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• American Foundation for the Blind
• Choosing a Cancer Doctor (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Find an Ophthalmologist (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
• National Eye Institute
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Children

• Childhood Intraocular (Uveal) Melanoma Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Retinoblastoma (National Eye Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Is Retinoblastoma? (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Lacrimal gland tumor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Melanoma of the eye (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Retinoblastoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish