Your vision has worsened? This may be a sign of cancer

Every year about 850 cases of eye cancer are diagnosed, making it one of the rarer occurrences of cancer. Many people are not aware of its presence, as the initial symptoms might seem trivial or are exclusively associated with a vision defect.

Dan McGhee, Director of Clinical Services at Vision Express, shared with readers of Express.co.uk seven symptoms to pay attention to in the context of eye cancer.

1. Shadows, flashing lights, or lines in the field of vision. It may be confused with detachment of the posterior vitreous body or ocular migraine.
2. Blurred image. May indicate other conditions, including refractive change (vision defects), dry eye, or cataracts.
3. Constant dark spots in the field of vision that are enlarging. Such symptoms require immediate diagnostics.
4. Loss or deterioration of vision. Any sudden or gradual deterioration of vision should be evaluated by a specialist.
5. Bulging eyes. Could also be a sign of thyroid disease.
6. A growing lump on the eyelid or in the eye. Such lumps may also be symptoms of other diseases, such as skin horn, stye or barley.
7. Persistent eye irritation. It can be mistaken for chronic dry eye.

Additionally, Dan McGhee draws attention to symptoms such as changes in the appearance of the eye (e.g., the color of the iris), loss of peripheral vision, and eye pain – although the latter is rare and indicates an already advanced stage of the disease.

The symptoms of eye cancer are not always obvious, they are often detected during routine eye exams.

Eye cancer is very rare and many of its symptoms overlap with benign diseases, but it's really important to report any new symptoms to your ophthalmologist or family doctor - explains Dan McGhee.

Regular visits to the ophthalmologist can help in early detection of this dangerous disease, which is associated with many complications - including total loss of vision. The key to effective treatment is early diagnosis.