Eye melanoma

The Ophthalmology Department of the LUMC has been the major centre for diagnosing and treating eye melanomas (eye cancer) in the Netherlands for decades. We offer a quick diagnosis and optimal treatment. A comprehensive and experienced team of dedicated specialists and nurses devote themselves to it every day.

Why you are in good hands at our hospital

In the LUMC you are treated by specialists with many years of experience in eye melanomas. We carry out many studies, we ensure that you have access to the newest treatment techniques, and we take care that you can start with a treatment tailored to your own situation as soon as possible. 

Quick diagnosis of cancer

Since a number of years, the LUMC has offered a quick diagnosis for a large number of cancer types, including eye melanomas. This way we can let you know as soon as possible if you have cancer and which treatments are possible.  

We always reserve a number of places in our surgery for quick diagnoses. For that reason we can always help you within a few working days. The LUMC is the only centre in the Netherlands offering a quick diagnosis for eye melanomas. 

Radiotherapy with a Ruthenium shield

The LUMC is also the only centre in the Netherlands offering Ruthenium brachytherapy. This is very precise and local radiotherapy with a radio-active shield. We can combat eye melanomas very specifically with this unique method. To that end, the Ophthalmic and Radiology Departments closely cooperate. When treating eye melanomas, we always take your specific situation into consideration. Because an eye tumour can metastasise, the Ophthalmic Department closely cooperates with the Clinical Oncology Department. 

Scientific research into eye melanomas

The LUMC leads the way in the field of scientific research into eye melanomas. We carry out many studies on better examination methods and treatments. For example, we study how we can even better predict how the tumour will respond to the treatment on the basis of the characteristics of the tumour. And we are preparing for the arrival of proton radiation equipment in Delft with which we will be able to give very precise radiotherapy to patients with large eye melanomas.

Medical research The newest medical studies are carried out in the outpatients’ Ophthalmology Department (clinical trials). We might ask you to participate in such a study. Currently a study is being carried out into the use of a very precise eye MRI. In addition, we participate in studies into the effect of new drugs and treatments in patients with metastasised eye melanomas. 

New knowledge The LUMC is known for the close connection between its clinic and its laboratory, in particular in the field of immunology. This ‘translational’ research provides us with new knowledge about disorders and patients and leads to new treatments, even when these concern eye melanomas. For example, the Ophthalmology Department of the LUMC has proven that eye melanomas and skin melanomas completely differ as to immunology. This is an important insight, which is currently being taken as a basis in research at a European level.

What is an eye melanoma?

An eye melanoma is a melanoma (an aggressively growing, malignant tumour) in the eye. It is also called uvea melanoma, ocular melanoma or eye cancer. Most eye melanomas occur in people between 50 and 70 years of age. An eye melanoma is formed from a pigmented cell in the eye. These cells exist both in the iris and in the choroid. An iris melanoma is sometimes visible to other people as a growing smudge on the iris. A tumour in the rear section of the eye is visible when an oculist looks into the eye with an ophthalmoscope.

Eye melanoma symptoms

Sometimes an eye melanoma is detected during an eye check-up by the optician or oculist. Patients often complain about bad eyesight. The first symptoms of a melanoma in the eye can be:

• blurred vision;
• seeing spots or flashes;
• loss of part of the field of vision.

Causes of an eye melanoma

Little is known about the causes of eye melanomas. We know that some people have a higher risk of developing eye melanomas: for example people with blue eyes, lots of freckles, a fair skin or people who have had a skin melanoma. There are indications that working with chemicals can also lead to a higher risk.