Melanoma of the eye

Alternative names:

eye tumor; malignant melanoma of the choroid; malignant melanoma of the eye

Definition:

A tumor of the choroid layer of the eye (between the outer layer and the retina).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

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.