Eye Tumor Specialist

What is an eye tumor?

Tumors, no matter where they grow in your body, are masses of abnormal cells, which may be cancerous but are often benign. 

Eye cancer, known clinically as ocular melanoma, is very rare. Most eye cancers are metastatic, which means that the cancer has spread from elsewhere in your body, such as your lungs or bowel. 

Eye tumors usually develop in your uvea. The uvea is the middle part of your eye found beneath your sclera (the white part) and your cornea. 

A brown spot on your eye is a warning sign of an eye tumor. Benign eye tumors such as choroidal hemangioma can cause other symptoms, including:

• Bulging or protrusion in your eye
• Redness
• Burning
• Itching
• Feeling like you have something in your eye
• Changes to your vision

Malignant tumors cause additional symptoms, such as:

• Flashes of light
• Irregular pupil shape
• Glaucoma
• Loss of vision

However, in many cases, you won’t experience any symptoms, and an eye tumor diagnosis only occurs during a comprehensive eye exam.

What causes eye tumors?

Benign eye tumors often don’t have a discernible cause, or they could be due to sun damage, like the age spots and moles on your skin. 

Malignant tumors, on the other hand, are due to changes in your DNA that affect your cellular growth cycle. Your risk of tumors increases with age or if you have a personal or family history of cancer.

How are eye tumors diagnosed?

The expert ophthalmologists at Retina Specialists diagnose with a variety of tests. If your doctor finds an abnormality during your routine exam, they order additional tests to gather more information about your condition. For example, they may order:

• Eye ultrasounds
• Optical coherence tomography
• Fluorescein angiography
• Fine needle biopsy 

These tests provide additional information about your eye tumor, including its location, size, and type, which helps your ophthalmologist plan your treatment.

How are eye tumors treated?

The ophthalmologists at Retina Specialists provide customized care depending on the type and location of your eye tumor and your overall health. 

For example, if you have a benign tumor on the outside of your eye, your ophthalmologist can remove it with cauterization or minor surgery. If the benign tumor is located inside your eye and isn’t threatening your vision, they may recommend regular monitoring. 

If you have a cancerous eye tumor, your ophthalmologist can surgically remove the cancer. They also provide laser and radiation treatments. In rare cases, your ophthalmologist may remove your eyeball. 

Call Retina Specialists or make an appointment online today for expert diagnosis and treatment for eye tumors.