Cancer Survivors Network

A former colleague and friend of mine had this cancer (in her case, it was the right eye, and she also had to have it removed).

I don't know if you're familiar with this website:

http://www.losteye.com

...but it might be of help to both of you. The man who runs it also lost an eye to choroidal melanoma, and there's a lot of information there on how to cope with all the issues involved.

Thank You!
I Will check this web site out.
I have also been trying to find help to cope with this.
thanks again
angelcake48843

To all of you: I had laser treatment on left eye
melanoma at Wills Eye in 1998 which seemed to have
gotten it all, but in 2000 they had to radiate it
with cobalt for 5 days. It worked fine until last
September 2004, when a technician for a local
opthamologist who was supposed to check me half
way between the long distance trips to Philadelphia, put eye drops in my eyes that blinded me for 3 days! Tthe sight never came back
because the retina is shot. Now I have just been
diagnosed with melanoma in the lung and Wed I find
out what the treatment is to be. They were very
surprised to have the pathology report be melanoma
because the cancer in my left eye is all dead.
I know what you mean about scared and depression,
because I am going through it too, but trying to act like I'm doing well because of my family. Good luck to you all. And have you ever done a
survey in the waiting room of your oncologist to
see which eye is affected. We have found more left eyes affected where I go. Isn't that weird?

suppo

GretnaGranny;
09-15-05
To all of you: I had laser treatment on left eye
melanoma at Wills Eye in 1998 which seemed to have
gotten it all, but in 2000 they had to radiate it
with cobalt for 5 days. It worked fine until last
September 2004, when a technician for a local
opthamologist who was supposed to check me half
way between the long distance trips to Philadelphia, put eye drops in my eyes that blinded me for 3 days! Tthe sight never came back
because the retina is shot. Now I have just been
diagnosed with melanoma in the lung and Wed I find
out what the treatment is to be. They were very
surprised to have the pathology report be melanoma
because the cancer in my left eye is all dead.
I know what you mean about scared and depression,
because I am going through it too, but trying to act like I'm doing well because of my family. Good luck to you all. And have you ever done a
survey in the waiting room of your oncologist to
see which eye is affected. We have found more left eyes affected where I go. Isn't that weird?

suppo

I also have had radiation patch on my eye after being diagnosed with a choroidal melanoma. Now I have lost my eyesight. please email me or email me on here..thanks, I do feel quite alone, and no one really understands.thanks.. jean.johnson@charter.net

jean, I was just told I have cancer behind my retina on may 28 2010. I was referred to the mayo clinic in Rochester. I am having surgery on June 21 to have placque radiation sewed to my eye and it will be left for 5 days and then I go back to surgery and have it removed.They say a 90 percent chance it will kill the cancer.I am a 62 year old female who like you am feeling very depressed as they tell me I will lose my eyesight in that eye also. Would love to hear from you. I live in mimmesota rosiepete

RosiePete, I hope you are doing fine now.
I am a 34 year old woman. I was diagnosed with choroidal melanoma June 24th 2010. My tumor is too big for radiation and we do not want to risk the cancer spreading while we wait to see if the cancer is gone. I am having my right eye removed on Tuesday July 6th at the UW Hospital in Madison WI. My surgery will be exactly 2 weeks after my 1st eye check. My vision in my right eye was very blurry. The 1st doctor I saw referred me to another specialist because my retina was detached and I needed surgery right away. The 2nd specialist said that my retina was detached but there also was a tumor in my eye. Two days later, I was told it was cancer. I had never heard about eye cancer. The specialists and surgeon I saw are pretty confident in the surgery. I had the blood tests and X Rays, and the cancer did not spread. I feel lucky about that. It still feels surreal, like it's a bad dream and I'm gonna wake up and my eye will be fine. I am glad to be surounded and family and friends. It helps so much.
I am trying to enjoy my last couple of days before surgery. My husband does all he can to take my mind off of this.
I too was depressed and mad after hearing the news. After a couple of days, I decided to focus my energy on fighting this thing and keeping positive thoughts.
I will beat this!

I'm also a patient at Rochester. It was in November 2010 when I had surgery and then radiation. So far I'm doing fine. The tumor was in the front of my eye so I'm able to see but not good enough to read. I'm watching my diet and trying to just stay healthy. I'm going to return for a 6 month checkup and hopefully everything will still be fine. I wish that I could find someone with "Monosomy 3" but this is even more rare than the eye cancer itself. I live in northern Minnesota and I'm 58 and am trying to stay possitive that this won't end up in my liver. I welcome all the prayers I can get.

please keep in touch with me. it is so much easier to talk to someone who understands such a rare cancer. thank you!

Hi: A friend of mine who was over last night was telling me about her experience with eye melanoma (very rare). She was diagnosed last year and was told she would lose her eye. But luckily for her a new treatment became available in a clinical trial at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto (a world-class cancer facility) that did not involve removing the eye. She went for it, of course. If I understood her correctly, they do not remove the tumour but rather completely stabilize it and it does not grow. If you want me to find out more from her, let me know: cpearce@uwo.ca.