Eye Problems

Eye Problems and Cancer Treatment:

Related: Cataracts, conjunctivitis (pink eye), dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, photophobia, and watery eyes.

Eye problems can occur for a variety of reasons.

In some cases, anti-cancer medications and medications used to reduce side effects may contribute to the development of some eye problems. Cataracts, dry eye syndrome, and chemo itchy eyes are some examples of eye problems resulting from cancer treatments.

Common Examinations for Eye Problems:

The following are common exams for eye problems that your eye doctor or healthcare provider may perform on you:

• Fluorescein or Rose Bengal staining: To perform this exam, your eye care professional or healthcare provider may put special eye drops into your eyes. Using a special light, they can see if there are any problems with the surface of your eyes. This may be done if eye problems include having eye pain, trauma, or a feeling of itchy eyes.
• Ophthalmoscopy: This is when your healthcare provider uses an ophthalmoscope, to look at the back of your eye. They can see the structures of the eye, such as the lens, retina, blood veins and vessels. Your healthcare practitioner may do this in the office, whenever you notice any eye problems.
• Pupil dilation: The pupil is widened with special eye drops, to allow your healthcare provider or eye care professional to look more closely at the back of your eye.
• Tonometry: This test is performed when the examiner wants to check the fluid pressures in the eye. It may be using a manual, hand-held device, or a more modern machine that blows a "puff" of air into your eye. Increased pressure in your eye may be a sign of glaucoma.
• Visual acuity test: Your eye examiner will use a chart to test how well you can see at different distances. This test may be performed when you are getting new glasses or contact lenses.

Glaucoma

What is glaucoma?

• There are two main types of glaucoma. They are open angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma.
• Open -angle glaucoma occurs over time, and is the most common form. Closed-angle glaucoma occurs suddenly.
• Glaucoma is an eye disease where the optic nerve is damaged. Increased eye pressures cause this.
• In order for your eyes to stay healthy: A special fluid is present that surrounds your eyes, that helps the eye keep its shape. The fluid in the front of the eye (the aqueous humor), flows from a back chamber, to a front chamber, and then drains out of the eye. The fluid that is normally drained out of your eyes, with glaucoma, may build up, if eye problems exist with the drainage system. These eye problems may happen over time, with age, or all of a sudden.
• Without treatment, the pressure on the optic nerve may cause irreversible blindness. Therefore, with any type of severe eye pain, you should seek emergency assistance.
• Usually, in open-angle glaucoma, both eyes are affected. However, you may experience glaucoma in one eye at a time only.
• Glaucoma cannot be cured, but it may be managed.

What are some symptoms of eye problems to look for:

• Unfortunately, there are no symptoms. Over time, though, you will notice a loss of side vision.

Things you can do about eye problems:

• Glaucoma is not only a disease of the elderly. Everyone is at risk of such eye problems. Therefore, you must go to your eye care professional for a tonometry exam, every year. This will determine the pressures in your eye. Your eye care professional will be able to tell if you have increased pressures in your eye, which may lead to glaucoma.
• Glaucoma runs in families. If you have had relatives with glaucoma, you may be at risk of developing it yourself.
• The goal of treatment is to reduce pressures in your eye. Medicines, eye drops, or surgery may be used to reduce eye pressure. Follow your healthcare provider's recommendations for your eye problem.
• Surgical procedures, including laser therapy, may need to be repeated in a couple of years. Therefore, the use of medicines are an effective treatment for glaucoma.
• Follow all the instructions your doctor provides.
• Make sure to keep all appointments.
• Do not share your medications with anyone.

Drugs that may be prescribed by your doctor for eye problems:

• Eye drops, such as acetazolamide (Diamox^®), betaxolol (Betoptic^®), and timolol (Timoptic^®), are common.
• Oftentimes, with open-angle glaucoma, eye drops may be the only treatment necessary.
• Make sure you take your eye drops once or twice a day, exactly as your healthcare provider suggests. If you miss your eye drops, take them immediately after you remember.

When to call your doctor or health care provider about eye problems:

• If you develop any sudden severe eye pain.
• If you have a sudden loss of vision.
• If your eyes become sensitive to light, or if you see halos around your eyes.
• If your symptoms of eye problems worsen or do not improve within 3 days of treatment.
• As always, notify your doctor or healthcare provider if you are concerned about any of the eye problem symptoms you are experiencing.

Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website about eye problems and other medical conditions is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice.

Below are a few resources if you are interested in learning more about other forms of eye-related illnesses.

Glaucoma Research Foundation

200 Pine Street, Suite 200

San Francisco, CA 94104

Web site: http://www.glaucoma.org

National Eye Institute

Information Office

2020 Vision Place

Bethesda, MD 20892-2510

301-496-5248

Web site: http://www.nei.nih.gov

Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website about eye problems and other medical information is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice.