Choroidal Melanoma

ashleemondo

Hello everyone, I was writing to find anyone else who may have this cancer. I was just diagnosed with this cancer after going to my eye doctor. I woke up one morning and noticed an increased amount of floaters in my vision. I blew it off for months and also because I didn't have insurance or money to pay for an eye visit. When I finally got the money to see an optometrist, I went to Target Optical. I did the picture scans of the eye, and that's when the optometrist said that I had some form of detachment of my retina. She quickly contacted my primary doctor to request that they send a referral to a retinal specialist. I was seen the next day and the optometrist confirmed that it wasn't a detachment but it was melanoma in my retina. I didn't even know that it was possible to have melanoma inside of the eye. They then sent me to a different doctor who specializes in these types of issues and he confirmed that it was indeed Melanoma. He even told me as well that this cancer is rare, 1 in 4 million. I am waiting for MRIs to be scheduled, as well as a biopsy/mapping surgery next month. They will map the tumor in my eye with special markers and then I consult with a radiation specialist to get a mask made for my face to use during radiation. And then I will be going to radiation for 4 days in a row.

With all that being said, are there others out there who are experiencing this now or in the past? and how was your process?

Currently, I'm on anti-anxiety medications because the anxiety of this all is completely unbearable. And I guess, I am curious if it's normal to have this much anxiety while having cancer.

Thank you all for taking the time to read and comment.

eDivebuddy

I haven’t had uveal melanoma, but my wife gets checked for it regularly since she’s had melanoma before. I know it’s extremely rare in people who aren’t light-skinned—less than 1 in a million.

The fact that they’re contemplating radiation is a good sign that, even with the delay, it’s still early. Are you having proton therapy?

Anxiety is completely normal. I haven’t met a single person who didn’t feel some level of it. I refused help at first, but after a couple of weeks without sleep, I found myself talking to my dead relatives. One call to the cancer center later, and I had a prescription for Xanax. I slept for days. It took me a couple of years to stop having random panic attacks, and I still feel a little anxious sometimes—but nothing like before.

Good luck to you.

andstal

Hi, I've been dealing with uveal melanoma for the past 8 years. Started in 2016. Went to eye doctor, she referred me to ophthalmologist because she thought it was detached retina, but ophthalmologist said no, I have a mass in backside of eye. It was too large to do plaque(sp?) radiation, so eye was removed. Things were fine until 2019 when I had reoccurance. This this time I had everything in the eye socket removed. Then in 2024 I had a third reoccurrence. This time they went in thru the skull. Further scans showed it metastasize to the lungs. I did radiation on the lungs and the eye socket. Last week my oncologist said the radiation worked, however I now have a lymphoid that is of concern, so more radiation for me. Thats my story in a nutshell.

I would be concerned if you were NOT anxiety ridden. I've got a script from my doctor for klonipin to help me get through. My other recommendation is join a cancer support group and see a therapist who specializes in cancer.

Realize you will experience cancer ghosting from family, friends, workmates. You can contact me directly if you would like and I will try and help you go through this uveal melanoma. You can get through this!

Andy

amystorment

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1721332#Comment_1721332

Andy, I am new here. Just checking to see if you are still active on this site. I'm not sure how all of this works. It doesn't seem like there are many people here. My husband was diagnosed with choroidal melanoma December 9, 2025. How are you doing?

eDivebuddy