Eye cancer is a general concept that includes a wide range of tumors of a different nature, developing in different areas of the eye. By the way, this disease is quite rare these days, which, of course, is very pleasing.
In this article we will look at the symptoms that indicate a disease such as eye cancer. Signs of this disease do not appear in the early stages, but some changes can diagnose it in time.
Varieties of eye cancer
Neoplasms are distinguished by the place in which they formed. The following areas are highlighted:
- Conjunctiva. This is a thin and naturally transparent shell that covers the entire eye from the outside and the back of the eyelids.
- The retina is the inner shell of the eye, containing photoreceptor cells, it is responsible for perceiving an image and converting it into nerve impulses. Retinal cancer invariably leads to vision loss.
- The choroid. The middle shell of the eye is responsible for nutrition, adaptation of the retina.
- The eye socket is the bony receptacle for the eyeball.
- Various appendages of the eye such as lacrimal glands, eyelids.
Causes of eye cancer
Of course, eye cancer does not appear for no reason, and if there is a reason, then this disease can be prevented.
- The first reason is excessive nervous experiences, unwillingness to live, tension in the family, depression. Yes, yes, you heard right. All this leads to the development of oncology or other diseases. After all, it is not in vain that they say that all human diseases come from the head.
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eye cancer photo The second reason is heredity, you can’t run away from this, but the tendency to cancer due to the fact that you had cancer patients in your family is low.
- Eye cancer can appear, like many diseases, due to poor ecology. The presence in your region of various factories, enterprises, due to which a large amount of hazardous industrial waste appears in the air and water, as well as gas pollution, will definitely affect he alth.
- The next reason is the strong influence of ultraviolet radiation.
- The fifth cause of cancer is HIV.
- Exposure to chemicals such as heavy metal s alts.
General symptoms
Depending on the location and type of cell structure, doctors distinguish many types of the general concept of "eye cancer". The symptoms of each of them are special. However, if we compare all the tumors, we can identify a number of common, similar signs.
Diagnosing eye cancer at an early stage is almost impossible, but as soon as the tumor grows, the symptoms will make themselves felt. Among them:
- Deterioration or loss of vision. Of course, vision lossmay indicate other diseases, for example, myopia, astigmatism, and so on, but if you have a tendency to cancer (the reasons were described above), then be sure to consult an ophthalmologist, and preferably more than one, because not every ophthalmologist will be able to diagnose such a disease.
- Light flashes or spots before the eyes. A similar phenomenon occurs in all people, but on a smaller scale than in patients with eye cancer.
- Increasing dark spot on the iris. In no case do not let things take their course, consult a doctor.
- Various pains in the eye. Although they are rare in eye cancer, they still happen.
- Protruding eyes.
- Any displacement of the eyeball within or outside the orbit.
- Squint.
- Eye cancer in children can be accompanied by strabismus, which is a symptom of retinoblastoma, we will talk about it later.
Nevus (moles) on the eye
Quite often you can meet the so-called moles on the eye. They can be in a person from birth, they can appear during life or during or after pregnancy. However, active growth of the nevus, an increase in size and darkening, and in rare cases even spread to the cornea of the eye, is noted in children and adolescents.
Sometimes these moles can be flat, but sometimes they protrude beyond the eye. It is worth saying that most nevi remain unchanged and do not cause any discomfort to its carrier. But what's inthese moles so dangerous? Like any mole on the human body, a nevus can turn into a malignant tumor, in our case, eye cancer can develop. Symptoms at an early stage practically do not appear, malignant melanoma is diagnosed quite by accident or already at the last stage. But sometimes it is possible to detect in the early stages the transformation of a mole into eye cancer. Signs that, I must say, are quite rare, will be described below:
- Deterioration of the visual field, vision itself becomes less sharp.
- The eyeball may bulge forward.
- Mobility of the eyeball is lost.
Symptoms of a malignant tumor of the eyelid
The emerging thickening on the upper or lower eyelid, as well as papillomatous growths of a dirty pink color on the conjunctiva (thin membrane covering the eye) are possible only with malignant tumors of the eyelid.
If the treatment is not started in time, it will lead to a late stage, during which the eyelid is destroyed with an ulcer, which is very painful. In extremely rare cases, even a shift of the eye beyond the orbit or within it can occur.
Tumors of the eyelid in general statistics are in first place among all diseases related to the type of "eye cancer". The photo below shows the initial stage of development of oncology of the eyelid, this is exactly what the tumor looks like.
By the way, the majority of cases occur between the ages of 50 and 75, and about 70% of all tumors occur in women of beauty.gender.
Conjunctival cancer symptoms
Eye cancer in children of this form is rare, and tumors of the eyelids are also rare in babies. But even in adults, this disease is considered quite rare. There are two different forms of conjunctival cancer: papillomatous and pterygoid. With the papillomatous form, various pink outgrowths form on the conjunctiva, which can pass to the cornea of the eye. If the tumor is pterygoid in shape, then it takes the form of a white, dense film without precise boundaries, with this form the eye vessels also burst.
The larger the neoplasm becomes, the stronger the conjunctiva thickens, the cartilage bends, and the tumor itself spreads to the orbits. In addition, conjunctival cancer tends to metastasize to the parotid and cervical lymph nodes.
Cases of conjunctival cancer mostly occur in people over the age of 50. Statistics also show that people with fair skin, hair and eyes are 5 times more likely to develop this type of eye tumor. For example, among 200 African Americans, there was only one who was diagnosed with eye cancer. A photo depicting the disease shows a film, a neoplasm near the pupil and burst vessels.
Symptoms of lacrimal cancer
In rare cases, oncology of the lacrimal gland may also occur. The causes of cancer of the lacrimal gland are identical to all the reasons that have been described above. By the way, low-quality cosmetics can also cause eye cancer. Symptoms appear at lightning speedduring the first two months, as the disease develops very quickly. There will be severe swelling of the eyelids. Of course, swelling of the eye can also develop for other reasons, but if it appears, then be sure to run to the doctor and do not hope that it will go away by itself.
One of the symptoms can also be tearing. Myopic astigmatism can also be a signal that a person is developing eye cancer. Symptoms (photo on the right) may not seem terrible at first, but an urgent visit to the doctor is necessary.
The next symptom is a slight, and then a strong discomfort in the region of the eye sockets themselves. In later stages, the eyeball may droop, deform, move, and may lose mobility.
Symptoms of choroid cancer
Such tumors can be located in the iris, as well as in the choroid (the choroid itself). The symptoms are quite vivid, so diagnosing choroid cancer is quite simple already at the first stage.
First, vision goes down, dark spots appear on the iris, it's hard not to notice them! Also, the pupil can change its shape. The tumor remains within the choroid.
Then complications begin to develop. The process of peeling off the retina of the eye begins, severe pain appears, pressure inside the eye increases.
At the next stage, the pain stops, the tumor no longer remains within the shell, but goes beyond the border of the apple. As a result, the eyeball becomes less mobile, and then stops moving altogether.
At the last stagebones, liver and lungs become overgrown with metastases. It should be said that sometimes this disease occurs without a single symptom, except for a gradual decrease in vision.
Retinoblastoma symptoms
Retinal cancer - retinoblastoma - is a congenital malignant tumor that occupies a leading place in the frequency of occurrence in children. It can occur either due to heredity (in 50% of cases), or accidentally for other reasons. Therefore, if a child in the family has retinoblastoma, it is imperative to check all immediate relatives (mom, dad, brother, sister) to identify possible hidden development of the disease.
If you have retinoblastoma, there is a good chance that it will be passed on to your child. Therefore, immediately after the birth of the baby, the baby should be examined by an ophthalmologist, and then observed up to 5 years, during this period eye cancer usually appears in children, the symptoms make themselves felt pretty soon. Parents should take this issue with great responsibility.
Often in the first two years of a baby's life, an experienced ophthalmologist can diagnose eye cancer. Symptoms (photo below) are pronounced.
The eye can see the so-called leukocoria, which occurs in 60% of all cases of retinoblastoma. Therefore, if your child's eyes look like in the presented photos, then take your child and run to the doctor.
Here are the other manifestations and consequences if treatment is not taken in time:
- If your child has a strabismus, then contactan ophthalmologist to rule out the possibility of cancer. In addition, strabismus is the second most common symptom of eye cancer (20% of all cases).
- Inflammatory processes, photophobia, pain.
- Metastases that occur in nearby lymph nodes and in the brain.
- Intracranial pressure may increase with retinoblastoma, but this is rare and in advanced stages.
- Tumor growth into the orbit itself also occurs in very advanced cases.
Conclusion
If you have these symptoms, then do not hesitate and go to the doctor. The phrase “And I definitely will never have cancer” does not work here. It can happen to anyone, and if it has already happened, then you need to immediately begin treatment.
And remember, cancer is often caused by the fault of the person himself: nervous experiences, tension in the family, depression, thoughts of suicide or death can easily cause serious illness.
