Health Watch: Eye Cancer

It is well known that the sun can do serious damage to skin, but eyes also need protecting. Eyes are also exposed to the sun's harmful rays, which can put them at risk for cancer.

Just like skin, eyes can soak up harmful ultraviolet light from the sun, which can then cause tumors inside the eyeball or on the outside.

Anyone can get eye cancer, but people with fair skin and blue eyes are most at risk, because blue eyes let more light in.

Most eye cancers have few, if any, warning signs.

According to one doctor who specializes in eye cancer, most people with eye cancers can be treated using radiation therapy, specifically designed for eye cancers.

"The most common radiation therapy is to put a little radioactive disc to the outside of the eye, right where the tumor is, and leave it there for five to seven days.

"During those five to seven days the radiation goes into eye, kills tumor then once the five to seven days is over, the device is removed and the tumor is dead. Most patients keep their eye and most patients end up seeing quite well," said eye surgeon Dr. Paul Finger.

Routine eye exams are a must to catch the hard to spot tumors.

To protect the eyes, Dr. Finger suggests wearing wrap-around sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection even while just walking in the sun.