Eye cancer
Anything that can increase your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor.
Different cancers have different risk factors. Having one or more of these risk factors doesn't mean you will definitely get that cancer.
The possible risk factors for eye melanoma are described below.
This type is more common in older people. The average age of diagnosis is around 60 years.
Melanoma of the eye is more common in White people than Black, Asian or Hispanic people.
People with blue or grey eyes are more likely to develop eye melanoma than people with brown eyes. The risk is also higher in people with fair skin, or with freckles.
People who have abnormal brown spots (pigmentation) on their uvea (called oculodermal melanocytosis) or iris (called iris naevus) are at an increased risk of developing eye melanoma.
Some families tend to have large numbers of moles on their skin or moles that are unusual (doctors call them atypical). The atypical moles tend to be an irregular shape or colour. They also have a tendency to become cancerous. People with moles like this have a higher than average risk of skin melanoma and eye melanoma.
Doctors have identified a rare inherited condition called BAP1 cancer syndrome. Families with this have a change (mutation) in the BAP1 gene. People with this gene change have an increased risk of uveal melanoma, skin melanoma and some other cancers. The uvea is the middle layer of the eye. Most adult eye cancers are a type called uveal melanoma.
Welding increases the risk of melanoma of the eye in people working as welders. This may be due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Exposure to artificial UV radiation, such as sunbeds, increases the risk of eye melanoma.
Read about ways to enjoying the sun safely
The risk factors for squamous cell eye cancer are listed below.
This is mostly a cancer of the older population, with an average age of 60 years. Men are affected more than women.
Sun and UV exposure has been linked to a higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the eye. This type of cancer is more common in areas of the world where the sun’s light is stronger than in the UK.
People who have HIV are at a higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva of the eye. This is almost certainly because of the effect of the virus on their immune system.
People who have an organ transplant need to take drugs to stop their immune systems rejecting the new organ. These drugs damp down the immune system generally. Because of this, these people are at an increased risk of some types of cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma of the eye.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) may cause squamous cell carcinoma of the eye in combination with other factors. The virus causes squamous cell cancers elsewhere in the body. Infection with HPV is very common and it usually doesn't cause any problems at all. There are probably other factors working with the HPV that explain why some people get it and others don’t.
The average age at diagnosis for lymphoma of the eye is between 50 and 60 years.
Anyone whose immune system is not working as well as it should may be more likely to develop lymphoma of the eye. This includes people who:
are taking drugs to stop organ rejection after a transplant
have HIV or AIDS
have auto immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
are born with rare medical syndromes which affect their immunity
People without these risk factors can still develop an eye lymphoma. There appears to be an increasing number of cases in people who don't have problems with their immune systems. The reason for this is not yet clear. Improved methods of diagnosing this rare cancer is one possible explanation.
Kaposi’s sarcoma is mostly seen on the skin but can affect other parts of the body such as the eyes.
This is a very rare eye cancer caused by a virus. It is usually seen in people with a weak immune system as a result of advanced HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Rarely It can develop in the elderly and people with problems with their immune system (but do not have HIV).
Retinoblastoma is a rare type of eye cancer. In the UK, between 40 to 50 children are diagnosed each year. It most commonly affects children under the age of 5.
Some children are born with a change (mutation) in the retinoblastoma . They may inherit this from one of their parents. Or this gene change happened during the very early stages of their development in the womb. This gene is known as the RB1 gene.
About 40 out of 100 children diagnosed (about 40%) have this heritable () type. It often affects both eyes. Heritable retinoblastoma also tends to have more than one cancer in one or both eyes.
The rest, 60 out of every 100 retinoblastomas (60%), are the non heritable (non genetic) type. These usually affect only one eye. In these, the mutation in the RB1 gene occurs later in development. It only affects a single cell in the retina to cause a retinoblastoma.
Learn more about retinoblastoma
We have more detailed information for health professionals about eye cancer risks and causes.
For detailed information go to the Cancer Statistics section
Stories about possible cancer causes are often in the media and it can be hard to know what’s true and what’s not. You may have heard of something that isn’t included here. This is because we only include a risk factor in this information if it is supported by good quality evidence.
Find out about common cancer myths and questions on the causes of cancer
There are ways you can reduce your risk of cancer.
Last reviewed: 20 Nov 2024
Next review due: 20 Nov 2027
Eye cancer includes different types of cancer. The type of cancer you have depends on the type of cell it starts in.
Eye cancer symptoms are not always obvious. It might be picked up during a routine eye test.
Survival depends on many factors including the stage and type of your eye cancer.
The stage of eye cancer tells you how big it is and whether it has spread. The type tells you which type of cell the cancer started in.
Your GP or optometrist will ask you about your symptoms, and they might examine you. They may arrange tests or a referral to a specialist.
About Cancer generously supported by Dangoor Education since 2010. Learn more about Dangoor Education
Search our clinical trials database for all cancer trials and studies recruiting in the UK.
Meet and chat to other cancer people affected by cancer.
Questions about cancer? Call freephone 0808 800 40 40 from 9 to 5 - Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can email us.
