Eye cancer can be either primary, which means the cancer starts from the cells of the eye, or secondary, meaning that the cancer spreads to the eye from cancer located in another part of the body.

Primary eye cancers include intraocular melanoma, intraocular lymphoma, retinoblastoma and medulloepithelioma. Intraocular melanoma is the most common primary cancer in adults, while retinoblastoma is the most common in children.

Two types of cancers can be found in the eye

Primary intraocular cancers are cancers that start inside the eyeball. In adults, melanoma is the most common primary intraocular cancer, followed by primary intraocular lymphoma.

In children, retinoblastoma (a cancer arising from cells in the retina) is the most common primary intraocular cancer, and medulloepithelioma is the next most common (but it is extremely rare).

Secondary intraocular cancers are cancers that have spread to the eye from another part of the body. These are not truly "eye cancers," but they are actually more common than primary intraocular cancers. The most common cancers that spread to the eye are breast and lung cancers. Usually these cancers spread to the part of the eyeball called the uvea.

Common symptoms include a dark colored spot on the colored part of the eye or the iris, blurred vision, vision changes, changes in the shape of the pupil, eye pain, eye redness and nausea. Sometimes eye cancer develops with no symptoms.

Treatment depending on the size of Eye Cancer whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. With smaller tumors laser surgery to remove the tumor may be done. Sometimes a surgical removal of the eye is necessary to prevent the cancer from spreading. Other treatments used in combination with surgery include radiation and chemotherapy if the cancer has spread.