Ocular melanoma (melanoma in or around the eye) is a type of cancer that develops in the cells that produce pigment. Pigment gives color to your skin, hair and eyes. Just as you can develop melanoma on your skin, you can also develop it inside your eye or on your conjunctiva. Although it is the most common eye cancer in adults, ocular melanoma is very rare.
In its early stages, ocular melanoma may not cause any symptoms. Because most melanomas develop in the part of the eye you cannot see, you may not know that you have a melanoma. When ocular melanoma symptoms do occur, they can include:
Depending on the size and location of the melanoma, surgery may be recommended. The surgery may involve removing the tumor and some of the healthy tissue of the eye surrounding it.
In radiation therapy, various types of radiation are used to kill the melanoma or keep it from growing.
For melanoma on the surface of the eye, treatment can include chemotherapy eye drops, surgery, freezing treatment, and radiation.