When you have have your next eye exam

[doc03]

make sure you have your eyes dilated. I had my eyes checked earlier this year and the Doctor saw something suspicious in my eye and refereed me to a specialist. I have found out I have ocular melanoma, that is skin cancer inside my eye on the retina. I have a choice now remove the eye or have a radiation treatment. You always lose some vision and sometimes all vision in that eye eventually from the radiation treatment but at least you have a chance of saving it. This is a rare cancer that effects about 6-8 people in a million yearly. If it is left untreated it will eventually spread and you then have matter months to live. Has anyone else on DU had this? Again make sure you have have your eyes dilated!

[Benhurst]

1. Thanks for the warning, doc03. Sorry to hear of your

diagnosis. All my best to you.

[Shell Beau]

2. Wow! I am sorry!

That has to be tough, but I am glad you caught it in time. Thanks for the info as well. I will be going soon b/c I have normal/high eye pressure (which is genetic) and I need to get it checked yearly to make sure it is not glaucoma (which is also in my family)! Thanks again and get well!

[doc03]

3. Thanks, I have absolutely no symptoms and have been

told that many times your first symptoms are when it has spread to the liver, lungs or brain and then it's too late. Thank God and the USWA I have health insurance.

[Richardo]

4. Best wishes, doc03, and thank you for the PSA

Hope it all works out for you. :hug:

[doc03]

7. The hard part of it is everyone has heard of lung cancer and

such but I never heard of this before and haven't ran into anyone that has. People just think this is something you just burn off with a laser and forget about.

[Patiod]

5. Wow. Good luck with the treatment, and thanks for the advice

I HATE those dilating drops, but now that I know what they can find (other than glaucoma) they'll be a little more tolerable.

[livetohike]

6. I have never heard of this

so thanks for the info and positive thoughts are coming your way for your treatment.

[meegbear]

8. Good advice, and if you are going to have them dialated ...

have someone take you to the exam. I had it done and my vision was "impaired" for a bit because my eyes were like that.

Fortuantely, it was a short walk from work to the office, so it wasn't bad, but I not want to drive.

[mark11727]

9. That's also good advice, meegbear...

... I have Type 2 diabetes, so I had to have my eyes dilated to check for retinal vein damage (?) --- my pupils were the size of freaking quarters (or so it seemed), and fortunately the missus was on hand to drive me home.

During the Renaissance, I would have looked beautiful.

[TNDemo]

10. I have a friend who had this.

Her doctor suggested enucleation of the eye but she wanted to save it so found another doctor who did save it and just treated the cancer. I am sorry to say it did not save her and a couple of years later it had spread. I really am not trying to be Debbie Downer but just wanted you to not rule out the enucleation option entirely. Maybe yours is smaller than hers and can be more easily treated. Best of luck whatever you decide.

[doc03]

16. There has been a lengthly study on enoucleation

vs. radiation and they found that the 10 year life span was the same for both. I am lucky in that mine is considered on the lower end of the medium size category. The 5 year survival rate for a person with a medium size tumor is 82%. I am aware of how bad it is I have read the accounts of several victims on the American Cancer Society site. Yahoo "ocular melanoma" it is the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS). I am thankful for the internets (GWB) I haven't talked to anyone that knows about this and couldn't find anything in the bookstore about it.

[Texasgal]

11. I am a nurse for a opthalmic

surgical practice.

I am so happy that doctor was able to detect your melanoma!

That's why it is so important to have an annual eye check up, it's not just for vision folks, it is also for the health of your eye!

Just and FYI on the dilation bit. While having your eyes dilated is a good thing, for some folks it is not. Many times dialation is not needed to get a good look down in the back of the eye. Some patients have naturally large pupils, dilation could make these folks very uncomfortable. In some cases dilation can injure.

I just wanted to clear that up. Find a good doctor and stick with annual exams!

Good luck to you and your treatment! :)

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

12. Good advice

Sorry you're going through this. Take care.

[cally]

13. I'm so sorry!

I hope you caught this early. I'll keep you in my thoughts for a full recovery. :hug:

[flamingyouth]

14. I've never heard of this either.

I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis and wish you a full recovery. :hug:

I have congenital vision problems and always have my eyes dilated.

[SoCalDem]

15. EVERYONE OVER 40 should see an Ophthalmologist

at least every other year..But a thorough exam at around 40 can set a baseline and the sight you save could be YOURS..

The lens crafter/local optometrists mig th be ok for the young kids, but for middles and older you need MORE.. I literally lost my vision a year ago Christmas day (some might remember the trauma i had over that).. But through a diligent ophthalmologist and lots of meds, I have recovered enough to manage.. I still miss just plain ole reading, It's a big hassle for me these days, and since I only have vision in one eye, it's tiring for me.but I am satisfied to be able to make out faces again....

Moral of the story, If I had been more diligent, some sight in that eye could have been saved..

Even if your insurance won't pay for it.. DO IT ..

Lots of people find out they are diabetic via a thorough eye exam..

[China_cat]

17. Geez, that's scary

especially when you happen to be allergic to the drops they use for dilation and almost died the last time they were used.