Photo Credit: Science Source. An eye with conjunctival melanoma.
Jan. 27, 2026
When most people think of melanoma, they picture suspicious moles or changes on the skin. While these warning signs are well known, melanoma can also develop in a far less expected place: the eyes. Recent reporting from Daily Mail UK has drawn attention to optometrists’ concerns about ocular melanoma, a rare but but serious cancer that often progresses silently and can become life-threatening if not detected early.
Melanoma arises from melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells that give skin, hair and eyes their color. Damage and mutations in melanocytes lead to melanoma.
Ocular melanoma includes several subtypes, most notably uveal melanoma and conjunctival melanoma. Unlike cutaneous melanoma, ocular melanoma is not primarily linked to ultraviolet radiation. Instead, risk appears to be higher among people with lighter eye and skin colors and those with certain pre-existing eye conditions, such as nearsightedness. However, the exact causes remain unclear.
Uveal melanoma develops in the uvea and is the most common primary eye cancer in adults. Conjunctival melanoma is far rarer. According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, there are about 2,000 new cases of ocular melanoma diagnosed each year in the U.S.1 Conjunctival melanoma only accounts for about 130 of those cases annually and occurs in fewer than one in 1 million people worldwide2.
AN OFTEN SILENT THREAT
One of the greatest dangers of ocular melanoma is its lack of early symptoms. “Skin cancer involving the eye can appear in several different ways,” said President of the American Optometric Association Jacquie M. Bowen, OD. “Some start in or around the eye itself, while others spread to the eye from elsewhere in the body.”
In the initial stages, patients often experience no pain or noticeable vision changes. As the disease progresses, symptoms may include blurred vision, floaters or flashes of light, changes in pupil shape, redness, irritation or the sensation of something in the eye. By the time these signs appear, the cancer may already be advanced.
“This is why annual comprehensive eye exams are essential, even when no symptoms are present,” Dr. Bowen said. “During every exam, doctors of optometry carefully examine the eye using specialized microscopes that can detect very small or early precancerous and cancerous lesions of the eye and surrounding structures. Many eye cancers are found during routine exams before symptoms ever develop, which greatly improves outcomes.”
While there is no definitive cure for ocular melanoma, treatments such as specialized laser therapy and plaque brachytherapy can effectively destroy tumors. Patients are not typically declared “cured,” but may reach a status known as NED—no evidence of disease—following successful treatment.
Dr. Bowen urges anyone who notices persistent or worsening changes in their eyes or vision to seek care promptly.
References
Read the article in Daily Mail UK here.
