What causes an eye melanoma? What are the most common causes of eye melanoma? What are the practice parameters for the evaluation and medical assessment of eye melanoma? What are the factors pertinent to the medical assessment of eye melanoma?
Causes, Evaluation, and Medical Assessment of Eye Melanoma
New York (USA), May 03, 2018
What causes an eye melanoma?
Eye melanoma, also known as ocular melanoma, is the most common type of eye cancer.
It is not clear what causes eye melanoma. However, we know that individuals born with certain growths in or on their eyes, as well as those people who have lighter colored eyes, are also at a greater risk for developing eye melanoma.
Eye melanoma or ocular melanoma happens when the DNA of the pigment cells of the eye develop errors. These DNA errors cause the cells to multiply uncontrollably. These mutated cells accumulate in or on the eye of the affected person and forms a melanoma of the eye.
What are the most common causes of eye melanoma?
Eye melanoma is the most common type of eye tumor in adults. The primary cause of eye melanoma is unclear.
Eye melanoma can develop when pigment cells in your eye grow out of control. Pigment cells are responsible for your eye color. The cause of uncontrollable cell growth is usually unknown. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation has been identified as one potential cause of the eye melanoma disease.
Eye melanoma that begins in your eye is known as a primary tumor. This type of cancer can occur at any age, but it is more common in people older than the age of 55 years. Eye melanoma affects men and women equally. Eye melanoma can affect several parts of the eye, including the:
– Choroid
– Ciliary body
– Conjunctiva
– Eyelid
– Iris
– Orbit
How is an eye melanoma usually evaluated?
Eye melanoma is the second most common intraocular tumor, metastasis being the most frequent.
Eye melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in the adult populace.
As in other cancerous tumors, determining blood perfusion level is important to understand microvascular function and clinical status of melanoma of the eye.
What are the practice parameters for the evaluation of eye melanoma?
The size of eye melanomas is one of the most significant clinical characteristics.
According to the criteria of the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS), eye melanomas size is used to classify these tumors.
The COMS medical research study classified melanomas using largest basal dimension and apical height in three groups:
Small Melanomas: Apical Height 1.0 to 3.0 mm and Largest Basal Diameter 5.0 to 16.0 mm
Medium Melanomas: Apical Height 2.5 to 10.0 mm and Largest Basal Diameter less than 16 mm
Large Melanomas: Apical Height more than 10.0 mm and Largest Basal Diameter more than 16 mm + no mets
What are the practice guidelines for the evaluation of eye melanoma clinically?
While evaluating eye melanoma, posterior uveal melanomas characteristically present as an elevated domed-shaped gray lesion of the choroid with uneven margins not sharply demarcated.
When the melanoma breaks the Brüch’s membrane, it attains a mushroom-shaped design.
For the clinical evaluation of a suspicious lesion in persons having eye melanoma, a number of clinical characteristics should be observed:
– Color
– Orange Pigment
– Secondary Glaucoma
– Sentinel Vessel
– Subretinal Fluid
– Thickness
What issues are most important in the initial evaluation of eye melanoma?
The most important issues in the initial evaluation of eye melanoma are:
Color: Grayish lesion sited deep down in the choroid, retinal vessels are apparent overlying the lesion. However, there are also amelanotic tumors with a yellowish look.
Orange Pigment: Lipofuscin buildup in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) overlying choroidal melanomas is a common finding.
Secondary Glaucoma: Secondary viewpoint closure glaucoma can develop due to an anterior displacement of the iris-lens diaphragm by the mass.
Sentinel Vessel: A dilated and tangled episcleral vessel is visible in the episclera above a melanoma.
Subretinal Fluid: The occurrence of exudative detachment of the neurosensory retina or the retinal pigment epithelium is common.
Thickness: The choroidal melanomas tend to be lesions more than two mm thick. In compare, choroidal nevi, the main differential diagnosis are more likely to present as flat or slightly elevated masses.
What to expect when you go for your medical assessment of eye melanoma?
Eye cancer specialists conclude if you have an eye melanoma by performing a complete eye examination.
This medical assessment of eye melanoma includes asking questions about your medical history, examining both of your eyes, looking into the eye through a dilated pupil at the tumor, performing and an ultrasound examination of the eyes.
Your eye cancer specialist will also ask you to have a comprehensive general medical checkup and specific tests needed.
What are the factors pertinent to the medical assessment of eye melanoma?
Eye melanoma is difficult to diagnose at early stages.
Optical melanocytes may become a cause of eye melanoma. Mostly, melanoma affects the internal structures of the eyeball, which is invisible by self-examination.
Examination of the eye by an ophthalmologist is often the most important step in diagnosing eye melanoma. The ophthalmologist will ask if you are having any symptoms and check your vision and eye movement.
Make an appointment with your ophthalmologist or doctor if you notice any signs or symptoms that bother you about eye melanoma.
Any sudden changes in your vision signal an emergency, so seek immediate care in those situations.
What are the top questions to ask about your patient’s medical assessment for eye melanoma?
Persons with eye melanoma often have no symptoms.
The past medical history of your patient may reveal a non-ocular malignancy, which would be suggestive of a metastatic lesion.
A comprehensive examination through a dilated pupil is one of the only ways that an ophthalmologist can diagnose eye melanoma with enough time to save a person’s life.
For the correct assessment of eye melanoma, you as a doctor need to ask questions about the patient’s medical history, his or her general health status, etc.
If as an ophthalmologist you suspect that a person has eye melanoma, you may recommend specific screening laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures to him or her for confirmation of melanoma of the eye.
Learn more about the causes, evaluation, and medical assessment of eye melanoma.
Eye Melanoma – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Eye Melanoma – Definition, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Home Remedies, and Prevention