Causes
The causes of eye cancer have not been clarified to date, but there are a number of factors that can trigger the development of the disease.
These include:
- hereditary predisposition - if among close relatives there were people diagnosed with eye cancer, this increases the likelihood of developing this pathology in their descendants;
- bad ecology;
- long-term exposure to ionizing radiation on the body;
- HIV;
- severe nervous tension, stress, depression;
- the presence of cancer of other organs, which can metastasize to the area of the eye and its adnexal apparatus;
- exposure to direct sunlight on the eye;
- decreased immune defense of the body, which can develop against the background of various infectious diseases;
- the presence of pigment spots on the membrane of the eye.
Symptoms
The clinical picture depends on the type of malignant neoplasm, its location and stage of cancer.
So, when the tumor is localized in the conjunctiva of the eye, a white film appears on the mucous membrane, which grows quite quickly. In some cases, instead of a film, papillomas or nodules appear.
With melanoma, the main symptom is decreased visual acuity, which progresses rapidly. As the tumor grows, the shape of the pupil changes and dark spots appear on the iris.
| Melanoma of the eye |
With a tumor of the eyelid, the tumor grows quite quickly, gradually affecting the entire eyelid and nearby tissues. At the same time, the cervical lymph nodes become inflamed.
With cancer of the lacrimal glands, the eyelids become very swollen, the patient constantly experiences a feeling of “sand in the eyes,” and lacrimation occurs. As the tumor grows, the eye gradually shifts and loses its mobility.
Fibrosarcoma most often occurs in children. Initially, the tumor resembles a bluish nodule. As the tumor grows, the natural position of the eye changes and the upper eyelid droops.
Many types of cancer of the eye and its adnexa are asymptomatic in the first stages, which significantly complicates the early diagnosis of the disease and worsens the prognosis.
