What To Do About Worsening Vision After Ocular Melanoma Treatment

If you notice worsening vision after ocular melanoma treatment, always get it checked out. You must have an explanation why the vision is declining. Not only will having answers alleviate your worries, but knowing what's going wrong will also allow you to come up with a possible treatment for the cause. Please know that the least likely cause of deteriorating vision is ocular melanoma tumor recurrence. However, tumor recurrence may be the first thought that comes to mind when there is worsening vision. If your eyecare professional is concerned about tumor recurrence in the eye, please make sure you have your ocular oncologist have the final word.  The most common reasons for decreasing vision are: 1) Radiation side-effect; 2) Cataract; 3) Other ocular disease. Radiation side-effects that effect vision the most are the development of radiation retinopathy with macular edema and/or the development of optic neuropathy.  The way that ocular oncologists treat radiation retinopathy with macular edema is highly variable: it can range from getting anti-VEGF shots prophylactically right after treatment (when there is no radiation retinopathy) or some may not recommend treating radiation retinopathy at all. I will discuss the way I treat radiation retinopathy in this episode. Regarding optic neuropathy, we have no successful treatments that affect optic nerve damage from radiation.  The second common cause of decreased vision is the development of cataract. If this is the reason for decreased vision, you can have catarct surgery to improve your sight.  The final category of decreased vision is other common conditions - dry eye, glaucoma, and retinal disorders - all of which may be treatable.  For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links), visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about your experience with this rare cancer. Learn through the lens of my knowledge and clinical experience as a physician expert and passionate patient advocate. The more you know about ocular melanoma, the better you will do, and the better you will live. Let's go! The content shared on the Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided must not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As a listener, you are responsible for your own health-related decisions and must consider consulting with a healthcare professional for personalized medical advice.  Tara McCannel MD PhD is a an ocular oncologist, vitreoretinal surgeon and co-founder of Seyhart Wellness. She is also the host of the Mind Body MD podcast where she shares her passion for holistic health and wellness.