People are least worried about their eyes, which can cause serious problems if not cared for properly. One of the deadliest disorders that can affect our vision is eye cancer, often known as ocular cancer. Even though it’s uncommon, eye cancer can sometimes be fatal and risk someone’s vision.
Eye cancer is uncommon; therefore, there isn’t much information available about it, and most of us often overlook its symptoms and risk factors. However, even though thousands of cases of eye cancer are recorded each year in India, there is still a greater demand for effective and efficient eye cancer treatment.
What do you understand about "eye cancer”?
Eye cancer begins when cells grow out of control and form a tumor and it includes several uncommon tumors that start in your eye, including your eyeball and the tissues around your eyeball. Eye tumors can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous), causing malignancy to spread throughout your body.
Any of the eye’s structures are susceptible to eye cancer. Primary intraocular cancers are those that begin in the eye, and secondary intraocular cancers are those that develop as a result of the spread of cancer from any other part of the body to your eye.
Where do eye cancers start?
Different types of cancer start in any of the below 3 major parts of the eye:
The eyeball: includes the three main layers – the sclera, the uvea, and the retina
The orbit: the tissues surrounding the eyeball
The adnexal (accessory) structures: include the eyelids and tear glands
What are the different types of eye cancer?
Based on cancer’s origin, where it develops in the eye, and the types of cells involved, healthcare providers classify eye cancers as:
Intraocular melanomas: they develop from melanocytes. Melanomas are the most common eye cancers.
They consist of:
- Iris melanoma
- Choroidal melanoma
- Ciliary body melanoma
Eyelid and orbital cancer: they develop from the tissues close to the eyeball. They consist of:
- Basal cell carcinoma
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Retinoblastoma: they develop in the retina of your eye.
- Intraocular lymphoma: they develop in white blood cells called lymphocytes.
Comments