Can Eye Cancer Be Found Early?

Most eye cancers are melanomas (also known as ocular melanomas or intraocular melanomas). These cancers are uncommon, and there are no widely recommended tests to look for them. Still, some eye cancers might be found early.

For people at average risk of eye cancer

There are no widely recommended screening tests for eye cancer in people at average risk. (Screening is testing for a disease like cancer in people without any symptoms.) But there are ways some eye cancers can be found early.

Eye exams: Regular eye exams are an important part of everyone’s health care, even if they have no symptoms. Although looking for eye cancer isn’t the main focus of these exams, eye melanomas can sometimes be found during a routine eye exam. When the doctor looks through the pupil at the back of the eye, they may see a dark spot that might be an early melanoma.

Having any eye changes checked by a doctor: Many melanomas start from a nevus (mole), which is a benign (non-cancerous), usually brown tumor made up of pigment cells. Cancers that start in the colored part of the eye (the iris) can often be found early. If you have a dark spot on the colored part of your eye, it should be looked at regularly by an ophthalmologist (a doctor who specializes in eye diseases). It’s especially important to have a doctor look at it if it’s getting bigger.

The same is true if you notice other eye changes that might be symptoms of eye cancer, such as:

• Any changes in vision
• Floaters
• Changes in how an eye looks, feels, or moves

Even if you recently had an eye exam, if you start having new symptoms, have them checked by a doctor. Sometimes eye tumors are missed, or they grow so fast that they weren’t there when you were last examined.

For people at increased risk of eye cancer

Some doctors may recommend more frequent eye exams for people who are at higher risk of eye melanoma, such as those with dysplastic nevus syndrome or BAP1 cancer syndrome.