What is Ocular Melanoma?
Ocular Melanoma (OM) is the most common form of
cancer that occurs in the eye. Every year, approximately 2,500 American adults
are diagnosed with ocular melanoma (OM). OM is an aggressive malignant cancer
that starts in the pigment cells that produce eye color and tends to occur in
people with light skin pigmentation and more typically, blue or green eyes and
who are over age 50. However, OM also can occur in individuals of every race
and at any age. For about 50 percent of individuals diagnosed with OM, the
cancer may be fatal, because it metastasizes and spreads to other parts of the
body. OM is considered a silent killer. There are no early warning signs, and
it is difficult to see when studying your eyes in the mirror.
How is Ocular Melanoma Detected?
Ocular melanoma is typically detected during a
routine dilated eye exam. The importance of scheduling regular appointments for
many types of “silent” eye diseases cannot be over emphasized.
What
are the Signs & Symptoms of Ocular Melanoma?
Sometime people with Ocular Melanoma may
experience blurred vision, a change in
the shape of the pupil, flashing lights in their vision, loss of vision in the
affected eye or a dark spot on the iris-or have no symptoms whatsoever. Researchers have discovered that
people with OM tend to have certain gene mutations, which could suggest there
is a strong genetic component to the disease. However, scientists have not
concluded that these abnormalities are the cause. They believe there may be a
connection between the development of OM and prolonged exposure to sunlight or
artificial light, such as from tanning beds, but there is not significant
research confirming this link.
If you or someone you know is concerned about
the risk of Ocular Melanoma (OM) please be sure to call The Eye Care & Surgery
Center at 908-789-8999, visit The
Eye Care & Surgery Center
or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.
The Eye
Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue,
Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059
and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout
central and northern New Jersey.
