Description
What is intraocular melanoma?
What is intraocular melanoma?
Intraocular melanoma, a rare cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant)
cells are found in the part of the eye called the uvea. The uvea includes the iris (the
colored part of the eye), the ciliary body (a muscle in the eye), and the
choroid (a layer of tissue in the back of the eye). The iris opens and closes
to change the amount of light entering the eye. The ciliary body changes the
shape of the lens inside the eye so it can focus. The choroid layer is next to
the retina, the part of the eye that makes a picture.
The uvea contains
cells called melanocytes, which contain color. When these cells become
cancerous, the cancer is called a melanoma.
Intraocular melanoma occurs most often in people who are middle aged. If there is melanoma that starts in the iris, it may look like a dark spot on
the iris. If melanoma is in the ciliary body or the choroid, a person may have
blurry vision or may have no symptoms, and the cancer may grow before it is
noticed. Intraocular melanoma is usually found during a routine eye
examination, when a doctor looks inside the eye with special lights and
instruments.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the size and cell type of the
cancer, where the cancer is in the eye, and whether the cancer has spread.
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