Cancer develops when cells in the eye start to divide and grow in an abnormal and uncontrolled way, forming a tumour. Several different types of cancer can affect the eyes.

The most common in an eye melanoma, which develops from the pigment cells. Other more uncommon cancers include squamous cell carcinoma, lymphoma and retinoblastoma, a rare cancer which develops in childhood.

Cancer can also develop in the skin or tissues around the eye, or may spread from other parts of the body.

Different cancers will grow and spread at different rates and require different treatment strategies.

This page focuses on the most common eye cancer, melanoma, but your team will customise a plan according to your individual needs.

The risk of developing cancer is linked to your age, your genetics and your lifestyle.

Anyone could potentially develop eye melanoma, but some people are more at risk:

Age: Your risk increases with age, with few people being diagnosed before fifty.

Light eye colour: People with blue, grey or green eyes have an increased risk.

Pale skin: Eye melanoma is more common in white people with fair skin.

Unusual moles: People with moles that are irregularly shaped or coloured are more at risk of skin cancer and eye melanoma.

Sun exposure: Overexposure to sunlight or sunbed use can lead to a higher risk of eye melanoma.

Symptoms of eye cancer can include:

• Visual disturbance such as blurring, flashes of light, wiggly lines or shadows in the field of vision.
• Loss of vision: this can be partial or total.
• A dark patch: With melanoma, you may notice a pigmented area that increases in size. 
• Eye bulging.
• A new swelling on the eyelid that's getting bigger.
• Pain in the eye.

These symptoms can be triggered by many minor eye conditions, so there is no need to panic.

However, you should see your GP or get an eye-check if you have any concerns.

The right choice of treatment for your eye cancer depends on the type of tumour, as well as its size and stage and whether the cancer has spread.

Your consultant will discuss the options with you and develop a personalise programme of treatment.

Laser treatment: Eye melanoma may be treated by lasers, which are focused onto the cancer cells through the pupil. Follow-up radiotherapy treatment may also be necessary.

Surgery: If the tumour is small and there is the chance of retaining some vision, surgery can be performed to remove the cancer or part of the eye.

Removal of the eye or enucleation, may be necessary if the cancer is bigger or your vision has been lost. When the area has healed, a prosthetic eye can be fitted.

These are extremely realistic and give a good cosmetic appearance, although they do not function.

Radiotherapy: High-energy X-ray radiation can be directed at the eye socket to destroy cancer cells.

The London Clinic has a dedicated radiotherapy suite with the latest image-guided, volumetric arc and intensity-modulated radiotherapy to increase the accuracy of treatment and reduce complications.

Chemotherapy: Different combinations of chemotherapy can be given by mouth or intravenous injection.

These prevent the cancer cells dividing and proliferating, helping to shrink the tumour and reduce the risk of spread.

Chemotherapy may be used to treat eye cancers due to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or retinoblastoma.

The London Clinic offers outpatient chemotherapy in a comfortable, private and discreet location.