Eye cancer Stay alert to keep cancer at bay!
Cancer is a most deadly disease that creates havoc. People avoid talking on this topic because of the sufferings that are attached to it. The irony of most of the diseases is that they are hard to treat but easy to prevent. So by being the aware and little presence of mind, you can always live a healthy life. Till now you must have heard about breast cancer, liver cancer, intestine cancer, etc., but eye disease is also spreading its tentacles now. As rightly said prevention is better than cure. Be an informed person and look out for the following symptoms of eye cancer. Procure this priceless gift of the God that lives even after you leave.
What are the causes of eye cancer?
The body undergoes continuous change, and any additional growth of healthy cells constitutes a mass of tissue commonly known as a tumor. The type of cancer is divided into two parts-
Intraocular or primary cancer-
If the additional growth of cells takes place in your eye, it’s known as intraocular cancer or primary eye cancer.
Secondary eye cancer-
There are chances that cancer may spread to your eyes from any other part of your body. This necessarily may not have its origin in the eye. Cancer carried to the eye from another part of the body constitute for secondary eye cancer.
As often said that cancer is curable provided diagnosed at an early stage. To keep you safe from the eye disease, keep a close watch on these symptoms and in the case of any deformity or growth of tissue, consult a doctor immediately. Some common symptoms are-
- Change in your vision- This is the first symptom that you go through. You may not be able to see well or might see flashes of light or spots.
- The dark spot in the eye.
- Change in its size or shape.
This can not only be the confirmed symptom of eye cancer as these changes may be due to some other problem as well. You may not diagnose early symptom of eye disease.
Examples of some common primary eye cancer
Uveal Melanoma-when an additional growth of cells takes place in your eye part called the uvea. This tumor may be in the colored part of your eye, i.e., Iris or the culinary body or the choroid layer that supplies blood to the eye. At this layer, the cells change and become cancerous.
Though this is the most common eye cancer in children, only 200-300 are diagnosed in U S every year. Usually, the children below the age of 5 are its victim. Cancer starts its journey when the baby is still in the mother’s womb. Its origin is in the back part of the eye, commonly known as Retina. As the baby grows these cells grow uncontrollably and form a tumor. On close observation, you will see that there is a difference in both the pupils in the child suffering from this type of cancer.
Our body fills up with toxins from time to time, and we need to get rid of these toxins so that we may remain healthy life. You have an immune system running all over your body that helps you shed off the waste and germs. This cancer starts in these Lymph nodes. It’s hard to detect this cancer as the symptoms vary from person to person.
The lining that surrounds your eye balls and eyelids is known as conjunctiva. When a tumor grows in this lining, conjunctival cancer takes place. It looks like dark spots on your eye. If not treated on time it may spread to the other part of the body through the lymphatic system.
Lacrimal gland cancer-
This is the special kind of cancer that forms in the tear glands. These glands that lie above and on each side of the eye are more prone to develop lacrimal cancer, especially in the people who are in their thirties.
As the name itself says the cancer is seen inside the lid. When you tend to spend too much time in the sun, basal cell carcinoma forms on the lower lid, and it is one of the most common skin cancers. People with fair and pale skin are more vulnerable to this cancer. This cancer can be treated with the early timely diagnosis.
Secondary eye cancer
At times when cancer doesn’t start in the eye, but develops somewhere else in the body, but spreads in the eye, falls under the category of secondary cancer. This secondary cancer starts in women with breast cancer and from lung cancer in men. It reaches your eyes from kidney, skin, colon, and Thyroid among other places.
A regular eye check keeps you at bay from these deadly diseases. Your optician will check your vision and the way your eyes move. He may take help of magnifying lens and light to see any signs of tumor in your eye. If he doubts about the eye cancer, he will recommend an ultrasound and MRI. Moreover, he may opt for a biopsy, where he will take a tiny amount of tissue and check it under a microscope for cancer.
On detection, if he confirms that the additional growth of tissue is cancer, then he may pick up any of the treatments available for treating cancer. He may prefer to watch the growth for some time if it’s small and not growing too fast and moreover not causing any problem to you.
If the tumor expands or spreads around then the doctor may recommend surgery for treating the affected area.
After surgery its high beams of energy that a physician may use to kill the cancer cells. This treatment has some side effects such as it may damage your healthy cells and can make your eyes dry or hamper your vision. Moreover, your eyelashes may fall out.
This is the most common treatment for shrinking the tumor. Commonly used for treating melanoma as these cells absorb light energy from the laser. Laser therapy is the most efficient way of treating cancer because of its fewer side effects as compared to surgery or radiation.
Our sincere thanks to https://www.cancer.org/cancer/eye-cancer/about/what-is-eye-cancer.html