Risk factors

Risk factors for primary melanoma of the eye include:

• Light eye color: People with blue eyes or green eyes have a greater risk of melanoma of the eye.
• Age:The risk of eye melanoma increases with age.
• Certain inherited skin disorders: A condition called dysplastic nevus syndrome, which causes abnormal moles, may increase your risk of developing melanoma on your skin and in your eye.
• In addition, people with abnormal skin pigmentation involving the eyelids and adjacent tissues and increased pigmentation on their uvea — known as ocular melanocytosis — also have an increased risk of developing eye melanoma.
• Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light: The role of ultraviolet exposure in eye melanoma is unclear. There's some evidence that exposure to UV light, such as light from the sun or from tanning beds, may increase the risk of eye melanoma.
• Certain genetic mutations: Certain genes passed from parents to children may increase the risk of eye melanoma.