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Signs and Symptoms of Ocular Lymphoma

Ocular Lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that attacks the central nervous system. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma differs from Hodgkin's lymphoma because a certain abnormal cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell is not present. This distinction is important due to the differing treatment methods for each.

  1. Overview

    • Ocular lymphoma, or intraocular lymphoma, begins in the eye and is typically dominant in males over 50 years old who have suffered traumatic or major surgeries, have the AIDS virus, or other impairments to their immune systems. Lymphomas can arise anywhere on the body that contains lymphatic tissue, and although lymphoma of the eye is a rare form, it does happen. It is also known as primary intraocular lymphoma and has been called a "masquerade syndrome" because it frequently imitates the symptoms of a condition called "uveitis."

    Signs and Symptoms

    • As mentioned, often times ocular lymphoma patients display the same symptoms as those with a condition called uveitis. Uveitis is simply the inflammation of the uvea, which is a part of the eye. Since ocular lymphoma occurs in the eye, common signs and symptoms include blurred vision, light sensitivity, seeing "floaters," and trouble seeing. Less common signs are pain and enlargement of the blood vessels around the eye. Although ocular lymphoma typically begins with one eye, it can spread to the other eye after several months. Intraocular lymphoma usually spreads to the brain, so if you begin to notice these symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

    Treatment

    • Since ocular lymphoma is a form of cancer, traditional cancer treatment methods are used to combat this condition. Most of the time, since ocular lymphoma attacks the central nervous system, a patient will receive treatment for both the eye and the brain. Treatments include radiation and chemotherapy and more aggressive regimens will call for both. Radioimmunotherapy medications have also shown promising results for many types of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. If this condition does not improve with these treatments, speak with your oncologist about more advanced treatments that might be available through alternative methods, such as taking part in clinical trials. Surgery is usually not an option because of the likelihood that the cancer has already spread beyond the eye.

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