According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), eye cancer is a type of cancer that can either start in the eye or spread to the eye from other parts of the body. The ACS reports that more than 2,300 Americans are diagnosed with eye cancer annually.
Causes
According to the American Cancer Society, there is no exact cause for eye cancer, but the leading scientific theory is that eye cancer is caused by changes to DNA.
Types
According to the ACS, there are two types of eye cancer: primary and secondary intraocular cancer. Primary intraocular cancer begins in the eye and secondary intraocular cancer spreads to the eye from other parts of the body, such as lungs or breasts.
Symptoms
According to the ACS, eye cancer causes the following symptoms: decreased vision, dark spots on the iris, bulging of the eye, and a change to the eyeball's position in the socket.
Diagnosis
Ophthalmologists--doctors who specialize in eye diseases--perform routine eye exams that involve using a light or a microscope to look into the eye.
Treatment
The following methods are used to treat eye cancer: laser therapy to kill the cancer cells, surgery to remove the tumor and radiation or chemotherapy, which kills or prevents the spreading of cancer.
