5 Quick Facts on Ocular Melanoma

From Wills Eye Hospital’s Ocular Oncology Department — the leading eye cancer center in the United States

 

  1. Ocular melanoma most often occurs in Caucasian people in the prime of their lives (30-60 years old)
  2. Melanoma can occur in the eye causing vision loss and blindness or it can be silent with no symptoms
  3. What you eat, drink, breathe, smoke, or do does not cause ocular melanoma
  4. Unlike skin melanoma which can develop from exposure to the sun, eye melanoma is not caused by sunlight exposure
  5. Eye melanoma is life threatening (can be deadly if not caught early)

 

Other Facts:

  • Skin melanoma does not increase your chance of getting eye melanoma
  • Melanoma can be inherited from your parents in 2 percent of cases based on studies.This condition is called BAP-1 cancer predisposition syndrome.
  • Eye melanoma should be detected as early as possible
  • Get your eyes checked every year with full dilation just to be sure there is no melanoma
  • If you are worried that you have eye melanoma or something that can lead to eye melanoma please contact The Wills Eye Cancer Center of Excellence. Direct phone numbers are: 215-928-3105 or 215-928-3106, 215-928-7161 or 267-908-LIFE (5433) or email – ocularmelanoma@fighteyecancer.com