Eye neoplasm
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Eye Neoplasm Microchapters |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Roukoz A. Karam, M.D.[2]
Synonyms and keywords: Eye neoplasm; eye cancer
Overview
Ocular oncology is the branch of medicine dealing with tumors relating to the eye and its adnexa. Eye cancer can affect all parts of the eye.
Classification
Choroidal tumors
- Choroidal hemangioma
- Choroidal melanoma
- Choroidal metastasis
- Choroidal nevus
- Choroidal osteoma
- Ciliary body melanoma
- The nevus of Ota
Conjunctival tumors
- Conjunctival Kaposi's sarcoma
- Epibulbar dermoid
- Lymphoma of the conjunctiva
- Squamous carcinoma and intraepithelial neoplasia of the conjunctiva
Diagnosis
- Melanomas (choroidal, ciliary body and uveal) - In the early stages there may be no symptoms (the person does not know there is a tumor until an ophthalmologist or optometrist looks into the eye with an ophthalmoscope during a routine test). As the tumor grows, symptoms can be blurred vision, decreased vision, double vision, eventual vision loss and if they continue to grow the tumor can break past the retina causing retinal detachment. Sometimes the tumor can be visible through the pupil.
- Nevus - Are benign, freckle in the eye. These should be checked out and regular checks on the eye done to ensure it hasn't turned into a melanoma.
- Iris and conjuctival tumors (melanomas) - Presents as a dark spot. Any spot which continues to grow on the iris and the conjunctiva should be checked out.
- Retinoblastoma - Strabismus (crossed eyes), a whitish or yellowish glow through the pupil, decreasing/loss of vision, sometimes the eye may be red and painful. Retinoblastoma can occur in one or both eyes. This tumor occurs in babies and young children. It is called RB for short. Check photographs, normal healthy eyes would have the red eye reflex, but a white/yellow dot instead of the red eye reflex can indicate a tumor or some other kind of eye disease. Any photos of a child/children which have a white/yellow dot instead of the red eye reflex should be checked out.
Treatment
Surgery
- Laser therapy
- Plaque therapy
- Radiotherapy
- Enucleation of the Eye - Removal of the eye, but the muscles and eyelids are left intact. An implant is inserted, then the person wears a conformer shield and later the person will have their prosthesis made and fitted (the prosthesis is made by someone called an ocularist and is made to look like their real eye)
- Evisceration - Removal of the eye contents, leaving the sclera or the white part of the eye.
- Exenteration - Removal of the eye, all orbital contents, which can involve the eyelids as well. A special prosthesis is made to cover the defect and improve appearance.
- Iridectomy - Removal of the affected piece of the iris
- Choroidectomy - Removal of the choroid layer (the vascular tissue sandwiched between the sclera and the retina)
- Iridocyclectomy - Removal of the iris plus the ciliary body muscle.
- Eyewall resection - Cutting into the eye to remove a tumor e.g. melanoma. This operation can be quite difficult to perform.
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