Melanoma of the eye

Health Library

Find

Español

2	4	5	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z

Overview	Symptoms	Treatment	Prevention

Melanoma of the eye

Alternative Names

Malignant melanoma - choroid; Malignant melanoma - eye; Eye tumor; Ocular melanoma

Symptoms

Bulging eyes
Change in iris color
Poor vision in one eye
Red, painful eye
Small defect on the iris or conjunctiva

In some cases, there may be no symptoms.

Exams and Tests

An eye examination with an ophthalmoscope may reveal a single round or oval lump (tumor) in the eye.

Tests may include:

Cranial CT scan to look for spread (metastasis) to the brain
Eye ultrasound
MRI of the head to look for metastasis to the brain
Skin biopsy if there is an affected area on the skin

References

Damato B. Treatment of primary intraocular melanoma. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2006;6:493-506.


Retina

Review Date: 3/24/2008
Reviewed By: Stephen Grund, MD, PhD, Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Director of the George Bray Cancer Center at New Britain General Hospital, New Britain, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission. URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2005 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.