Inflammatory pain after brachytherapy is fairly common. The dying tumor causes the nearby tissues of the eye, eye-socket (orbit) and sometimes the adjacent temple and forehead to also be achey. The larger the tumor, usually the more the inflammation as the body turns what's left of the dead tumor into a scar. Sometimes the inflammation may be "clinically detectable", meaning that the ophthalmolgist can see anterior chamber cells (at the slit-lamp microscope) and leaking vessels on fluorescein angiography (the dye test). But most of the time the examination and testing will not indicate the inflammation, but the patient's verbal description of their symptoms will. Here are typical inflammatory symptoms: aching of the eye, aching of the area around the eye that gets worse as the day wears on. These symptoms will improve with ibuprofen or topical prednisolone acetate 1% eye drops. Listen to learn more about how inflammatory eye pain can be treated by your ocular oncologist or retina specialist.
For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my patient handbook!), visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma
Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about your experience with this rare cancer. Learn through the lens of my knowledge and clinical experience as a physician expert and passionate patient advocate. The more you know about ocular melanoma, the better you will do, and the better you will live. Let's go!
The content shared on the Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided must not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As a listener, you are responsible for your own health-related decisions and must consider consulting with a healthcare professional for personalized medical advice.
Tara McCannel MD PhD is a an ocular oncologist, vitreoretinal surgeon and co-founder of Seyhart Wellness. She is also the host of the Mind Body MD podcast where she shares her passion for holistic health and wellness.
