Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Ocular melanoma, or melanoma of the eye, is a rare type of cancer that affects variousparts of the eye, specifically the choroid, ciliary body, and theiris.Choroidalmelanoma is the most common type of eye malignancy.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Eye melanoma usually begins in the middle layer of the eye known as the uvea.This is the layer in which the blood vessels travel through the eye. The outer layer is the sclera (the thick white part) and the inner layer is the retina (where the rods and cones that are the sensory part of the eye pick up signals to send to the brain.) Sometimes melanoma also occurs on the conjunctiva or eyelid.
This cancer is most common in older people and peaks at around age 70. It is found more often in men than in women. Ocular melanomas account for around 5% of melanomas.
Due to the most common locations of thesetumors, people are usually unable to spot the cancer themselves. In other words, they are not usually visible in the mirror.
Like many other types of cancer we aren’t quite sure whatcauses ocular melanoma, but there is suspicion that it is related to exposure to the UV rays of the sun.This theory has yet to be proven, however.
Even though the cause of ocular melanoma has yet to be pinpointed, researchers have identified risk factors for the disease.Risk factors for ocular melanoma are similar to risk factors for melanoma of the skin and include:
Researchers are learning much more aboutcancer genetics and melanomaand it’s thought that 50% to 60% of one’s risk for melanoma is due to genetic factors.
Unlike other types of cancer, a biopsy is not usually neededfor most cases of ocular melanoma. One of the first tests most people have is called ophthalmoscopy, which uses a special scope to get an in-depth view of the eye. It is much like the tool your optician or physician uses to look at your eye. It is noninvasive and is painless and done after your eye doctor first dilates your eyes.
An ultrasound may also be done to view the eye and surrounding structures. Numbing drops are given before the scan to prevent any discomfort. You may be asked to look in different directions to allow for different angles of viewing. Eye ultrasounds generally take about 15 minutes or less.
Other tests, like anMRI or CT scan,may be done if it is suspected that the cancer has spread beyond the eye. The liver is one common site of metastasis for ocular cancer. This list showswhere melanoma commonly spreads.
Treatment of ocular melanomais based on what part of the eye is affected and whether it has metastasized to other parts of the body.
Surgery
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is also a common treatment for ocular melanoma. It may be the sole treatment or done after surgery. There are two types of radiation therapy: external and internal. Both use specific types of energy to disrupt the activity of cancer cells to eliminate them and prevent them from undergoing cell division.
Radiation therapy is effective against ocular melanoma but does not come without side effects. Red, dry eyes are a common side effect.Cataractssometimes result from therapy, but surgery may be an option to remove them. Eyelash loss and shortening may also occur. Less commonly, radiation therapy can cause optic nerve damage,glaucoma, and abnormal blood vessels in the retina.
Treatment of metastatic melanomais usually similar to that for other types of metastatic melanoma. Though good treatments are mostly lacking for metastatic disease, several options for melanoma chemotherapy exist.
In addition, promising clinical trials looking at targeted therapies as well as immunotherapy are in progress.
Learn more aboutchoroidal nevus.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Intraocular (uveal) melanoma treatment (PDQ®)–health professional version.American Academy of Opthalmology.What is ocular melanoma?Chattopadhay, C., Kim, D., Gombos, D. et al.Uveal melanoma: from diagnosis to treatment and the science in between.Cancer. 2016;122(15):2299-2312. doi:10.1002/cncr.29727Blum ES, Yang J, Komatsubara KM, Carvajal RD.Clinical management of uveal and conjunctival melanoma.Oncology(Williston Park, NY). 2016;30(1):29-32, 34-43, 48. PMID: 26791842Immunocore.KIMMTRAK (tebentafusp-tebn).
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Intraocular (uveal) melanoma treatment (PDQ®)–health professional version.American Academy of Opthalmology.What is ocular melanoma?Chattopadhay, C., Kim, D., Gombos, D. et al.Uveal melanoma: from diagnosis to treatment and the science in between.Cancer. 2016;122(15):2299-2312. doi:10.1002/cncr.29727Blum ES, Yang J, Komatsubara KM, Carvajal RD.Clinical management of uveal and conjunctival melanoma.Oncology(Williston Park, NY). 2016;30(1):29-32, 34-43, 48. PMID: 26791842Immunocore.KIMMTRAK (tebentafusp-tebn).
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Cancer Institute.Intraocular (uveal) melanoma treatment (PDQ®)–health professional version.American Academy of Opthalmology.What is ocular melanoma?Chattopadhay, C., Kim, D., Gombos, D. et al.Uveal melanoma: from diagnosis to treatment and the science in between.Cancer. 2016;122(15):2299-2312. doi:10.1002/cncr.29727Blum ES, Yang J, Komatsubara KM, Carvajal RD.Clinical management of uveal and conjunctival melanoma.Oncology(Williston Park, NY). 2016;30(1):29-32, 34-43, 48. PMID: 26791842Immunocore.KIMMTRAK (tebentafusp-tebn).
National Cancer Institute.Intraocular (uveal) melanoma treatment (PDQ®)–health professional version.
American Academy of Opthalmology.What is ocular melanoma?
Chattopadhay, C., Kim, D., Gombos, D. et al.Uveal melanoma: from diagnosis to treatment and the science in between.Cancer. 2016;122(15):2299-2312. doi:10.1002/cncr.29727
Blum ES, Yang J, Komatsubara KM, Carvajal RD.Clinical management of uveal and conjunctival melanoma.Oncology(Williston Park, NY). 2016;30(1):29-32, 34-43, 48. PMID: 26791842
Immunocore.KIMMTRAK (tebentafusp-tebn).
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