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Ency. home > Disease > M > Melanoma of the eye

Melanoma of the eye   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

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

Definition:

Melanoma of the eye is a tumor of the choroid layer of the eye (between the outer layer and the retina).

Causes and Risks

Melanoma is a very aggressive type of cancer that can spread rapidly. Excessive exposure to sunlight may be a cause of melanoma. Fair-skinned and blue-eyed people are affected most often.

The eye can be the primary site of the tumor, or the cancer may have spread to the eye from another location in the body. There may be no early symptoms, but the tumor will eventually cause a retinal detachment and distortion of vision. Melanoma is the most common type of eye tumor.

Ency. home > Disease > M > Melanoma of the eye

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