Melanoma of the eye is cancer that occurs in various parts of the eye.

Malignant melanoma - choroid; Malignant melanoma - eye; Eye tumor; Ocular melanoma

Melanoma is a very aggressive type of cancer that can spread rapidly.

Melanoma of the eye can affect several parts of the eye, including the:

• Choroid
• Ciliary body
• Conjunctiva
• Eyelid
• Iris
• Orbit

The choroid layer is the most likely location of melanoma in the eye.

The cancer may only be in the eye, or it may spread (metastasize) to another location in the body, most commonly the liver. Melanoma can also begin on the skin or other organs in the body and spread to the eye.

Melanoma is the most common type of eye tumor in adults. Even so, primary melanoma of the eye is rare.

Excessive exposure to sunlight is an important risk factor. The occurrence of melanoma has greatly increased in recent decades. Fair-skinned and blue-eyed people are most often affected.

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Review Date: 08/18/2009
Reviewed By: Daniel E. Bustos, MD, MS, Private Practice specializing in Comprehensive Ophthalmology in Eugene, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)