Cancer Research UK explains: “Eye cancer is a general term that covers different types of cancer. The type of cancer you have depends on the type of cell it started with. There are different parts of the eye and some of these are more likely to get cancer than others. This is a rare cancer and the signs can be caused by a number of other factors, but you should always check with your doctor.
Cancer that starts in the eye is called primary eye cancer, but sometimes cancer can spread to the eye from another part of the body. This is called secondary eye cancer.
Cancer Research notes: “In women, this is most likely to happen with breast cancer, and in men it is most likely to happen with lung cancer.”
The NHS says eye cancer doesn’t always cause obvious symptoms and can only be detected with routine eye exams.
However, there are some symptoms of eye cancer that may show up in your vision.
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These may include darkness, flashing lights or zigzag lines in your vision, blurred vision, dark patches in your eyes that get bigger, or partial or total loss of vision.
Other signs of well-being include bulging of one eye, a lump on the eyelid or an enlarged eye, and pain in or around the eye, although this is rare.
“Pain is fairly rare unless the cancer has spread to the outside of the eye or causes the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure) to become too high,” says Cancer Research.
These symptoms can also be caused by other minor eye problems, so they are not necessarily a sign of cancer. But it’s important to see a doctor to check for symptoms as soon as possible.”
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Furthermore, Cancer Research says eye cancer is very rare. Around 850 cases are diagnosed in the UK each year.
It adds: “Remember that eye cancer is rare. Eye diseases other than eye cancer can cause many of these symptoms. It is important that you report any of these to your GP or optometrist. “
The charity explains that an optometrist is a healthcare professional trained to examine eyes.
They can identify conditions and diseases that affect the eyes including eye cancer. They will then refer you to an ophthalmologist (ophthalmologist) for specialist treatment”.
It adds: “The earlier cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat. This makes the treatment more likely to be successful.”
It adds: “You should see your doctor or ophthalmologist if you notice a change that is not normal for you or if you have any possible signs and symptoms of eye cancer.”
The NHS says eye melanoma occurs when pigment-producing cells in the eye divide and multiply too quickly. This creates a mass of tissue called a tumor.
It says it’s not clear exactly why this happens, but the following factors can increase the risk of it happening:
- Lighter eye color – if you have blue, gray or green eyes, you have a higher risk of developing eye melanoma than people with brown eyes
- White or pale skin – eye melanoma mainly affects white people and is more common in people with fair skin
- Unusual moles – if you have an irregularly shaped or irregularly colored mole, you are at increased risk of developing skin cancer and eye melanoma
- Use tanning beds – there is some evidence that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from tanning beds, for example, can increase the risk of eye melanoma
- Excessive exposure to sunlight – this increases the risk of skin cancer and can also be a risk factor for eye melanoma.
The NHS added: ‘The risk of developing eye melanoma also increases with age, with most cases being diagnosed in people in their 50s.
There are several known general risk factors. Indeed, Cancer Research says: “Doctors have identified a rare genetic condition known as BAP1 cancer syndrome. Families with this condition have a change (mutation) in the BAP1 gene.
“People with this gene change have an increased risk of uveal melanoma, melanoma, and a number of other cancers.
“The uvea is the middle layer of the eye. Most adult eye cancers are a type called uveal melanoma.”
Source: | This article first appeared on Express.co.uk
