Treatment

Eye melanoma treatment options will depend on the location and size of the eye melanoma, as well as the overall health and patient preference.

Waiting to treat small eye melanomas : A small eye melanoma may not require immediate treatment. If the melanoma is small and isn't growing, the doctor may choose to wait and watch for signs of growth.

 

Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy, such as protons or gamma rays, to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is typically used for small to medium-sized eye melanomas.
 

Laser treatment
Treatment that uses a laser to kill the melanoma cells may be an option in certain situations. One type of laser treatment, called thermotherapy, uses an infrared laser and is sometimes used in combination with radiation therapy.
 

Photodynamic therapy
Photodynamic therapy combines medications with a special wavelength of light. The medicine makes the cancer cells vulnerable to light. The treatment damages the vessels and the cells that make up the eye melanoma. Photodynamic therapy is used in smaller tumors, as it isn't effective for larger cancers.

Surgery
Operations used to treat eye melanoma include procedures to remove part of the eye or a procedure to remove the entire eye. 

• Surgery to remove the melanoma and a small area of healthy tissue. Surgery to remove the melanoma and a band of healthy tissue that surrounds it may be an option for treating small melanomas.
• Surgery to remove the entire eye (enucleation). Enucleation is often used for large eye tumors. It may also be used if the tumor is causing eye pain.
• After the eye with melanoma is removed, an implant is inserted into the same position, and the muscles controlling movement of the eye are attached to the implant, which allows the implant to move.
• After the healing, an artificial eye (prosthesis) is made. The front surface of new eye is custom painted to match the existing eye.