Eye cancer is a rare cancer that can affect the orbit (bony portion surrounding your eye), globe (eyeball) and its adnexal structures (eye tissues such as the eyelid). According to the American Cancer Society, eye cancers can appear at any age but mostly effect people who are older than 50. Symptoms of eye cancer include decreased vision, floaters (seeing specks or lines in your visual field) and eye bulging. There are specific steps to detect eye cancer.
Step 1
Go your opthalmologist (eye doctor) and get a thorough eye exam. He will use a special instrument called an opthalmoscope to look at your iris (colored part of your eye), cornea (thin layer above your iris), sclera (white part of your eye) and the blood vessels in your eye. He will also have you read a text at a comfortable reading distance and letters and numbers off a chart. This will help him assess your visual acuity.
Step 2
Obtain an imaging test such as an ultrasound, angiography, computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An ultrasound creates a picture of your eye using sound waves. A probe is placed against your eye to look for any abnormalities like melanoma (type of skin cancer that can originate in the white parts of your eye). An angiography involves injecting a fluorescent dye into your blood vessels. This allows your doctor to examine the back part of your eye, according to the American Cancer Society. A CT scan uses X-ray technology to create virtual slices of your eye. Your doctor will look for any abnormalities. An MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create eye images.
Step 3
Get a biopsy of your eye. In this procedure, your doctor will place a small needle in your eye and draw up tumor cells. These tumor cells are sent to a laboratory where a pathologist (doctor who works in the lab) studies them and determines whether the cells are from a cancerous eye growth.
Things You'll Need
- Ultrasound
- Computerized tomography scan
- Angiography
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Eye biopsy
