Shows
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaEye Injections: What Are the Options and Which Shot Should I Get?In the setting of ocular melanoma, the most common reason you may need an eye injection is to treat radiation retinopathy. The class of drugs that may help with radiation retinopathy is "anti-VEGF therapy" (VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor). The various options are Avastin (bevacizumab), Eylea (aflibercept), Eylea HD, Lucentis (ranibizumab), Vabysmo (faricimab), and Beovu (brolocizumab). All will potentially be beneficial, and sometimes your doctor may switch to a different one of these drugs to get more of an effect. The second reason you may need an eye injection is to treat inflammation. The class of drugs to treat...
2026-02-1828 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhy Doctors Can Mistake an Ocular Melanoma for a Retinal DetachmentHave you ever wondered why your eye doctors initially thought you had a retinal detachment when you really had an ocular melanoma? For many people who get diagnosed with ocular melanoma, everything began when an eye doctor believed that there was a retinal detachment, and then expedited a referral to a retina specialist. It is usually the retina specialist who first suspects that there may be a possible tumor. 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...
2026-02-1713 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow Will I Know If My Treated Eye Melanoma Is Recurring?Once the ocular melanoma has been treated with radiation, the ocular oncologist monitors for treatment response and complications. Essentially, this means that at each follow-up appointment it is confirmed that the tumor remains dead and killed, and anything that might be treatable is discovered and acted upon. But what about between visits? Are there clues that I must act on so I won't miss a problem with my treated cancer? The short answer is - I am not aware of an instance where a patient knew of or suspected recurrence. But there are countless times when patients assume that...
2026-02-1510 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaSix Months Out: What Can Help If You're Still Feeling AnxiousSometimes the toughest part about ocular melanoma can be the time after you have completely recovered from your treatment. Now what? About six months in, you may feel anxious, you may be "waiting" for the cancer to show up somewhere else, and you realize that you may still have unanswered questions. This is a very common experience, and most people feel just like you. Here are some tips to help: Continue to engage with your ocular oncologist and general oncologist. Keep learning as much as you can. Get your questions answered. Be proactive and consider second opinions with experts...
2026-02-1414 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow Do I Know Which Treatment Is Best For Me?Should I have plaque or protons? You may be just diagnosed with ocular melanoma, or your eye doctors are concerned about something that MAY be ocular melanoma. We know that radiation treatment is the best way to kill ocular cancer. However, let me share with you why the question to be asking might really be: Who is the best person to be treating my ocular melanoma, and/or making the diagnosis? There are more ocular oncologists than ever before today. And the incidence of ocular melanoma remains the same - that means there are still only about 2000 people per...
2026-02-1115 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaThe Uncertainty of Biopsy ResultsA prognostic biopsy in ocular melanoma is when a needle is placed within the tumor itself and the sample sent to check for markers that tell us whether the melanoma has a low-likelihood of metastasizing or a high-likelihood of metastasizing. Regardless of your result, the outcomes of these tests are not set in stone. Just because you have low-risk, does not mean you are "home-free" and can discontinue systemic scans and monitoring; and just because you have high-risk results, does not mean that for sure, your melanoma will metastasize in the future. I discuss the reasons for variable test...
2026-02-0523 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaThe Mind's Eye, by Oliver Sacks (Persistence of Vision: A Journal)Oliver Sacks, MD was a neurologist and writer who gave us Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat and other fascinating books that provide a personal insight to neurological conditions. Dr. Sacks was diagnosed with ocular melanoma in 2005. Of the short stories in The Mind's Eye, Persistence of Vision is a detailed account of his own personal experience with his diagnosis and how it affected his vision. He writes about adaption and the critical importance of peripheral vision (which we usually don't formally measure at our eye check-ups). Listen to learn more. Welcome to...
2026-01-2506 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow Do We Know The Radiation Treatment Has Worked?The most important test that we use to determine that radiation has successfully killed the ocular melanoma is the ocular ultrasound: we want to see either the same size as before, or a reduction in size of the height (the thickness of the tumor) compared to baseline pretreatment. Listen to learn what we do to monitor for a good treatment response, and how we watch carefully for tumor recurrence. 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...
2026-01-2316 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWrapping Your Head Around Vision LossThe most common way that people may lose their vision in ocular melanoma is 1) if they have the eye enucleated (completely removed) or 2) as a side-effect of radiation treatment to kill the tumor. We have a visceral fear of the idea of "vision loss", and this tends to be fueled by our eye care providers, what we believe about our vision, and even our ocular oncologists. In most cases, even if there is the rare case of total vision loss in the affected eye, people are able to adapt, adjust and carry on with their lives. Listen on to...
2026-01-2216 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaVisiting the Interventional Radiology Suite: Hepzato DelcathI recently had the oppotunity to visit the Interventional Radiology suite at UCLA Health to observe Dr. Siddharth Padia give a Hepzato Kit Delcath treatment to a patient with uveal melanoma metastasis. Hepzato Kit is a liver-directed therapy to treat tumors in the liver. This means that the drug is injected into the hepatic artery using x-ray guidance while the rest of the body's circulation is prevented from getting the drug. This procedure requires the expertise of a cardiac anesthesiologist, a skilled interventional radiologist and a perfusionist as well as a number of technical support staff to procure the...
2025-12-2220 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaOpen House: Is Navigating Ocular Melanoma Group For Me?Navigating Ocular Melanoma group is for people who choose to engage and learn everything possible so they can thrive. Do you have to be struggling to join the group? No, although most people are struggling with something. Our program is also for people who are doing well, AND want to be doing even better. Our research shows that the more you lean-in to your cancer diagnosis, the better you will do. When we thrive, our physiology changes and we become healthier. Do you want to be doing "fine" or do you want to...
2025-12-0848 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaLive Webinar: The Science of Rest - Evidence for Solitude & Self-Care For HealthWithout prioritizing Deep Rest, our entire health will decline. Join me in this Health Webinar where you will learn why rest is a biologically essential part of healing, not a luxury. Intentional rest reduces inflammatory pathways, supports hormonal balance, strengthens immune function, for long-term resilience. We'll explore how rest, recovery, and mindful self-care can change the way you experience your body, your health, and your stress. 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...
2025-12-071h 00
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaVision Loss in Ocular MelanomaWhen a person gets newly diagnosed with ocular melanoma, there are two traumatic things that people immediately face: losing sight and losing life. I want to share with you what it really means to "lose sight" in ocular melanoma. The bottom line is that vision loss with brachytherapy (which is plaque radiation treatment) is highly unpredictable and highly variable between different people. The good news is that the vast majority of my patients who get treated with ocular melanoma continue to lead impactful lives, continue to drive and resume most activities that they enjoyed prior to their diagnosis. Can...
2025-11-1820 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaNavigating Ocular Melanoma Group Support Program - January 2026Nothing has been more inspiring to me than working closely with people who are open to engaging full-on with their mind-body health: to gaining knowledge, to confronting thoughts, to finding ways to improve health and to living our best. It doesn't matter where you are at - you may be at the beginning of your ocular melanoma journey, living with metastatic disease, or somewhere in between. Navigating Ocular Melanoma Guided Group Program provides the framework to: 1) Make you an expert in Ocular Melanoma; 2) Gain control over your health; 3) Hold you accountable for doing the work to change your li...
2025-11-1713 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhy Your Voice Matters: How Patients (Not Doctors) Move the Needle in Medical ProgressHow does medical progress happen? What drives the adoption of new techniques and better patient outcomes? It is patient themselves who drive progress, rarely the physicians and surgeons themselves. Listen to hear why it is so important that patients vocalize their concerns, and question their doctors. In the field of ocular oncology many ophthalmologists continue to use techniques that have not changed in over 40 years: although thankfully eye removal is not often performed, the need for an improvement over the technique of brachytherapy plaque is long overdue. At UCLA, we have been using silicone oil to shield...
2025-09-1815 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaUnexpectedly Low Rate of Metastasis & Death Among Patients Treated for Uveal Melanoma with Brachytherapy, Vitrectomy and Silicone OilThe data from a cohort of my patients who live in Nevada took me by surprise. I acknowledge the work of Alex Rivas, a University of Nevada medical student and Dr. Wolfram Samlowski, a medical oncologist with uveal melanoma expertise who reached out to me and took action to publish our experience after noticing that our patients were not getting metastasis and dying like the existing data suggests should be the case. The 5-year survival estimate in this cohort was 100%. Although small tumor size, disomy 3 and Class 1 accurately predicted a good prognosis, we found that the usual "h...
2025-09-1024 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow Can Acupuncture Help With Ocular Melanoma?Learn why adopting complementary health approaches, such as acupuncture can help boost your overall mind-body health. For your immune system to be boosted, to see your recovery hastened so that you can fine-tune your mind and body to be in the best position to beat metastatic disease, we must think broader. Listen to this episode to understand why it is important to think beyond your immediate healthcare team. For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma...
2025-08-0622 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow Do I Treat A Patient With Choroidal Melanoma?Treating a patient with choroidal melanoma (otherwise known as uveal melanoma or ocular melanoma), starts with a thorough evaluation - history, ocular examination and supporting imaging tests. This is required to first, make the diagnosis. One of the most challening aspects of treating choroidal melanoma is making the diagnosis. Don't forget to get your second opinions! I discuss when to consider enucleation as well as the benefits of using silicone oil to shield the radiation in the treated eye to reduce exposure to the healthy non-tumor parts of the eye. The follow-up by your ocular oncologist is also important t...
2025-07-1012 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaIsolation And Ocular Melanoma: Why Support MattersGetting diagnosed with ocular melanoma may be an isolating experience - few have heard of this type of cancer, let alone have an understanding of the eye to know what this can mean for vision. Yet, getting support - connecting deeply with others is key to our emotional and physical wellbeing. I encourage you to learn, lean into your healthcare team, join trusted groups, and talk to others who have been there before. Talking to others and connecting is a key human experience that improves our health, both mind and body. I created Navigating Ocular Melanoma, a s...
2025-07-0218 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaLive Webinar: What To Know About Ocular Melanoma BiopsyIf you missed the Live Webinar, welcome to this Episode! It's all here. Learn and get your questions answered about everything to know about ocular melanoma biopsy. I will review ocular anatomy, what can be tested on a biopsy, techniques of biopsy, I'll go through published data on biopsy safety (eye and metastatic-risk safety), the challenges of biopsy, when to take a biopsy, and finally what to do with your biopsy result. For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma Welcome to Finding Your...
2025-06-291h 23
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaDoctor's Visit Survival Guide For Ocular MelanomaJust diagnosed with ocular melanoma or other unusual medical condition? If you've been feeling overwhelmed, confused, or unsure what to ask your doctor, this is for you. I'm Dr. Tara McCannel, an ocular oncologist with over 20 years of experience—and I'm here to help you maximize your medical appointments, ask the right questions, and become an empowered, informed patient. Whether you're navigating plaque radiation, biopsy decisions, or systemic screening, this episode goes through exactly how to prepare for your appointments, research your condition, and build a strong partnership with your care team. Don't go in passively, show up with an...
2025-06-2718 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaOcular Melanoma Plaque Surgery Explained: Empower YourselfWhen you find yourself entering a situation that is completely foreign, it is imperative that you teach yourself everything - read, learn, ask questions, gain clarity. Why? The more you understand your diagnosis and the details of what actually happens when you have eye surgery - specifically radiation plaque surgery - the more in control you will be. Why does being in control matter? More understanding and working through the information brings clarity which results in you being calm, cool and level-headed. From this place, you become your best advocate and can start to be proactive (instead of reactive...
2025-06-2520 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat Stage Is My Ocular Melanoma?In cancer of most parts of the body a Stage from 1 to 4 is often assigned at various time points in the cancer journey. This may help to predict prognosis, guide treatments and provide a framework for people to understand how potentially serious things may be. With regards to ocular melanoma, we rely on Staging much less. In fact, the stage of your ocular melanoma cancer does not change how we treat the eye. However, when people are first diagnosed, having the ocular melanoma staged does help provide a framework or starting point so that people better understand...
2025-06-1325 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaIs Ocular Melanoma Related to Skin Melanoma?Although they share the same name - "melanoma" - the two cancers are cousins at best. Here are the differences - the tumor mutations between eye and skin melanoma are distinct; the systemic therapies that are most effective are different; the pattern of metastasis is different; and the risk factors for cancer development have differences. Watch to learn more! For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know a...
2025-06-0511 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat If My Treated Ocular Melanoma Is Not Shrinking?After you have had radiation treatment to destroy the ocular melanoma, what's left of your tumor is no longer viable. Radiation destroys the cellular DNA which is needed for the cell to replicate itself, that is for the cancer to grow. After treatment, what's left of the ocular melanoma forms a scar that we continue to measure at every visit with your ocular oncologist. As long as we see the same size as the last measurement, or a decrease in size, this is proof of tumor response (that is, signs of death). It is not necessary to always have...
2025-06-0313 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaOcular Melanoma Resource: Handbook For Patients And FamiliesFinding Your Way With Ocular Melanoma: A Handbook For Patients and Families was created to serve as an all-in-one-place resource, written by one of the most experienced ocular oncologists in the world, yours truly! Searching for knowledge on the internet may result in inaccurate information, a focus on the worst-case scenarios, and conflicting ideas on what it is that you should do. My goal is to provide accurate and relatable information - the information that I share with my patients everyday - that can serve as a starting point for your journey with ocular melanoma. The more you know...
2025-05-3007 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaNewly Diagnosed With Ocular Melanoma? Your First 30 DaysIf you've been told that you may have an eye cancer, ocular melanoma, uveal melanoma, or even an unusual freckle, mole, nevus or lesion - it's time to lean in. Don't panic - the diagnosis must be confirmed first. There is a good chance that you do not have cancer, but there also is a chance that you may have eye cancer. How do you figure this out? You must see an ocular oncologist. An ocular oncologist is an ophthalmic surgeon who has additional expertise in treating cancers of the eye. And I recommend that you see 2 or 3 ocular...
2025-05-2715 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaDid You Get A Second Opinion?Did you get a second opinion? I cannot stress how important it is for EVERYONE to get a second opinion when you have been diagnosed with an ocular melanoma or a suspicious choroidal nevus or spot that your ocular oncologist may be concerned about. Why? Shouldn't my ocular oncologist - a highly trained individual - know what they are doing? Experience between all ocular oncologists is highly variable, and ocular melanoma is so rare that most ophthalmologists have never seen one in their practice. When the wrong decisions are made in ocular oncology, cancers can spread, vision can be...
2025-05-2216 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaGetting Through Your Ocular Melanoma SurgeryGoing through the recovery of your ocular melanoma surgery can be a daunting experience. Learn about the reasons for eye pain, redness, swelling and what you can do to get through the healing process. Always reach out to your ocular oncologist or eyecare provider if you have questions about your recovery process. Listen to learn more! For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), 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...
2025-05-2113 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaRetinal Detachment In Ocular MelanomaWhat is a retinal detachment? In most cases, retinal detachment is caused by a rip in the retina (i.e., retinal tear) from pulling of the vitreous humor. The torn retina then allows liquified vitreous humor to enter the space under the retina which causes a peeling away of the retina from its normal anatomic position. Retina that is separated from its attachment position does not function properly, resulting in a decrease or loss of vision. The symptoms of a typical retinal detachment like this, may be a sudden onset of floaters (caused by the retinal tear) and a...
2025-05-1617 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaSmall Melanomas: How To Think About Whether Or Not To TreatWhen is the right time to treat a small melanoma? The biggest take-home message if you have a small suspicious lesion or a small uveal melanoma, is that TIME is on your side. You never have to rush into treatment; you do not increase your metastatic risk by waiting a few weeks to get additional opinions, to learn more and to get your questions answered. Be sure that your ocular oncologist is using their clinical experience to decide that it is time to treat you. Be wary if your ocular oncologist talks about a "check-list" o...
2025-05-1414 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWorrying About Losing Vision In The Melanoma Treated EyeHave you been told that you will likely go blind after ocular melanoma treatment and that there is little that can be done? Have you been told you might go blind unless you get started right away with ocular injections? If the answer is yes, stop right now and watch this episode. There are a few things that you must know about ocular melanoma: It is uncommon for patients to slowly and steadily lose all of their vision. Anti-VEGF injections are not necessary to save the vision or to save the eye after treatment, but they often can result...
2025-05-0913 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaDoes Bleeding in the Eye Increase My Risk of Metastasis? (No!)By definition, cancers grow their own blood supply in order to invade and grow in tissue where they don't belong. The blood vessels in ocular melanoma are more fragile than the normal blood supply of ocular tissues. Most melanomas do not bleed. However, bleeding is possible in melanomas that are about 3-4 mm or greater in thickness. Bleeding may occur: 1) at the time of diagnosis; 2) during surgical manipulations; 3) as the tumor dies after radiation treatment; 4) any time months and sometimes years after treatment during the evolution of the remaining scar tissue. Two important points: 1.) Bleeding does not increase the...
2025-05-0709 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaIs It Safe To Biopsy An Ocular Melanoma?At the beginning of your journey with ocular melanoma, a question about performing a biopsy may arise. Performing biopsy for molecular prognostication - to know the potential risk that your melanoma may spread in the body (that is, metastasis) - is considered standard of care in ocular oncology. However, controversy still exists as some physicians still do not offer biopsy to patients, others feel that biopsy could be dangerous, and still other centers may not have the experience. However, one thing has been demonstrated by much scientific research: Performing a biopsy on an ocular melanoma does NOT increase the...
2025-05-0109 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaGetting Cataract Surgery in the Non-Melanoma EyeCataract surgery is the most common operation performed in the entire world. It is one of the safest, quickest and most effective eye surgeries to achieve excellent vision when performed in experienced hands. When you begin to lose vision in your non-melanoma eye because of progressing cataract, you must have cataract surgery if you want your overall vision to improve. However, in many situations a patient's ophthalmologist has exclaimed, "Never let anyone touch that cataract in your good eye! If you have a complication, you will be completely blind!" And with that, a person who might otherwise h...
2025-04-3008 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow To Speed Up Recovery From Ocular Melanoma SurgeryBrachytherapy plaque surgery is a complex eye operation that involves the external tissues of the eye and orbit. This can result in swelling and edema, which can cause temporary double vision, droopy eyelid, redness of the eye and sometimes discomfort. What can you do to help get over this period as quickly as possible? Managing and supporting your recovery during the initial period of the plaque, the first few months and beyond will be discussed. Do's - get back to usual activities and exercise asap, remind yourself to keep the eye open and use together with unaffected eye; Don'ts...
2025-04-2421 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaShould Prognostic Biopsy Results Change Your Treatment Plan?Your ocular melanoma treatment plan consists of two main items: 1) What you do to treat the cancer in your eye, and 2) What you do to watch for and treat cancer that might spread in your body. Both of these two items must be addressed, and usually without taking into consideration the result of your biopsy. Although biopsy results give additional information, molecular testing of the eye cancer is not always accurate for several reasons I will discuss. Listen to hear more! For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), visit my website: https...
2025-04-2217 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat To Do About Red Eye After Ocular Melanoma TreatmentRed eye is common after ocular melanoma surgery, after the period of recovery and sometimes episodes of red eye may occur long after your treatment. Learn why this happens, what it means, and what you can do about it for best eye health. For Tara McCannel's resources (including webinar links and link to my book!), 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...
2025-04-1814 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaDiagnosis Day: Finding Your Strength in The StormGetting diagnosed with ocular melanoma may be one of the most difficult experiences in your life. You may have seen multiple eye-care providers who were not entirely sure of what was going on, and you might have seen ophthalmologists who painted the most negative scenario about blindness and death when they told you what was going on. Our society views getting diagnosed with cancer as a catastrophic event. However, you do not have to view ocular melanoma this way. How do you get your head around this one? Practicing techniques to keep you in the present moment can be...
2025-04-0921 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaClosing The Gap Between Ocular Oncologists: Introducing OMG (Oncology Mentoring Group)Why is ocular oncology an unusual subspecialty in medicine? It is unusual because standards of care vary between institutions and between ophthalmologists who practice ocular oncology. At one center, enucleation (removal of the eye) may be recommended, at another center, brachytherapy plaque may be recommended. One doctor may recommend continued observation because the tumor is located in the macula (the area of the retina responsible for central vision), another doctor may recommend enucleation for macula-involving melanomas because the central vision may be damaged. This is just the tip of the clinical variability iceberg. Furthermore, there are many...
2025-04-0816 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat Have You Learned? Embracing Challenges As OpportunitiesPause for a moment and ask yourself - What have I learned lately from my life? From this ocular melanoma journey and other important events in my life? We all have a tendency to go through the motions based on our familiar past routines, whether they are good for us or whether they may not serve us well. Familiarity keeps us feeling safe. Rather than push them away and feel disappointment, let's instead embrace our challenges and allow big events in life to shake us up, re-assess and re-evaluate all that we do, all that we want to do.
2025-03-1912 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhen Medicine Becomes Mindless: The Cost of Formulaic Care in Ocular OncologyThis episode was inspired by my new-found knowledge of the work of legendary Harvard health psychologist Ellen J. Langer, PhD. Dr. Langer defines "mindfulness" as the simple act of noticing new things. Unfortunately, most of us may live our lives "mindlessly", which is the opposite - living life without being open to noticing the subtle variations in life, because we believe we know what is going on. However, if we are open to not knowing everything, we may start paying attention to the unknown and subtle variations and learn things that we didn't even realize or appreciate before.
2025-03-0719 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhy So Many Tests? Understanding Imaging Studies in Ocular MelanomaWhether you have a benign lesion that is being monitored, whether you are seeing an ocular oncologist for the first time to have something suspicious evaluated, or if you are being monitored for a treated ocular melanoma, imaging tests are a key part of your care. Listen on to learn about how we use ultrasonography, the different types of color photography, how fluorescein angiography works and how it is used, and the OCT (optical coherence tomography) test. It is important to understand that none of these tests can make the diagnosis of ocular melanoma, or tell the complete picture...
2025-02-2833 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaSneak Preview - Webinar on Role of Mindset in Cancer Survival 2/23/25 10AM PSTThis Sunday, Feburary 23,2025 at 10AM PST I will be hosting my next live webinar on the topic, "The Role of Mindset in Cancer Survival: Science of a Healing Attitude". I have been completely amazed at all of the knowledge that we already have in this field, where what we think can change our health. In traditional healthcare settings, we focus only on what is happening in our physical body, the organ that is affected or the organ that can be affected. Most of us are completely oblivious to the undeniably powerful effect that our thoughts, our mindsets and our...
2025-02-2207 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow to Stay Engaged With Ocular Melanoma After EnucleationWhen the ocular melanoma is discovered and the tumor is too large for eye-saving treatment, the ocular oncologist will recommend enucleation. Enucleation is surgery where the whole eyeball is removed to control the growth of the tumor. After enucleation, many patients may no longer see their ocular oncologist, because there is nothing tumor-related to be monitoring in the eye. The individual may see a general ophthalmologist or an optometrist for continued eye care. However, these professionals may know very little about ocular melanoma. We often find that people who are treated with enucleation may end up discontinuing screening with...
2025-02-1711 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow to Prepare for Your Ocular Oncology and All Doctor VisitsHave you ever left your doctor's appointment feeling rushed and somewhat confused regarding your healthcare options? Do you find that it's hard to get information from your doctor? Consider every doctor's appointment as not only an opportunity to know how you're doing, but also as a chance to learn more about your condition, to have questions answered and to better understand what you can be doing to improve your health. So plan in advance - write down anything you have been experiencing, updates about other areas of your health, and questions that you have that have come up between...
2025-02-0713 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaInflammatory Pain After Brachytherapy - Signs, Symptoms & SolutionsInflammatory 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...
2025-02-0217 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaBeyond the OCT: Holistic Approach to Radiation Retinopathy TreatmentOne of the most useful imaging tests invented in the history of ophthalmology is Optical Coherence Tomography, or OCT. The OCT is used to image the macula, the part of the retina that provides our central sight. The image provided by OCT is like a pathology slide - we can see each of the layers of the retina and what is going on beyond our traditional physical examination where we use biomicroscopy with the indirect head-lamp or slit lamp to see the retina. It is now so much easier to detect diseases which may affect our macula early...
2025-01-3133 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow to Heal Your Doctor-Patient RelationshipWhy is the Doctor-Patient relationship so important? Because the positive-mindset of a care-provider will result in better health outcomes for the patient. When your doctor focuses on the things that are going well, and believes there is hope for your situation, you too will be influenced by this positivity. A positive mindset is characterized by optimism, hopefulness and the willingness to adopt constructive and practical approaches to the challenges we face. The notion that our thoughts shape our outcomes is also true with health outcomes. Research has shown that people with this positive approach have more robust immune responses...
2025-01-1717 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaMy New Book for Patients & Families: Finding Your Way With Ocular Melanoma🎉 Exciting Announcement 🎉 I'm thrilled to share that my new book, Finding Your Way With Ocular Melanoma, is now available. As an ocular oncologist, this book is my heartfelt effort to provide patients and their loved ones with a clear and compassionate starting point to navigate the journey from diagnosis to treatment, and more. Inside, you'll find practical advice, emotional support, and empowering insights to help you take charge of your health and well-being. I can't wait for you to dive in and discover how this guide can be a source of hope and direction and a starting point for you to...
2025-01-1409 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat To Do About Worsening Vision After Ocular Melanoma TreatmentIf you notice worsening vision after ocular melanoma treatment, always get it checked out. You must have an explanation why the vision is declining. Not only will having answers alleviate your worries, but knowing what's going wrong will also allow you to come up with a possible treatment for the cause. Please know that the least likely cause of deteriorating vision is ocular melanoma tumor recurrence. However, tumor recurrence may be the first thought that comes to mind when there is worsening vision. If your eyecare professional is concerned about tumor recurrence in the eye, please make...
2025-01-0314 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhen The Cancer in the Eye is Not Ocular MelanomaThe most common intraocular cancer of adults is actually NOT ocular melanoma. The most common intraocular malignant tumor to be found in the eye is a metastatic tumor that came from a different primary cancer, such as breast, lung or colon cancer. Metastasis is the term used when cancer has spread outside of the organ where it began. Therefore, we call this type of an eye cancer, a "metastatic tumor" or "secondary uveal malignancy" or "metastatic eye cancer". The individual - whether they know it or not - has another diagnosis of cancer, and this cancer has spread secondarily...
2024-12-2422 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaNavigating Ocular Melanoma - The Guided Group ProgramThis episode is all about Navigating Ocular Melanoma - The Guided Group Program, which starts January 5, 2024. I am thrilled to do this work, because I believe that helping you change your approach to ocular melanoma will improve your mind, body and spirit, AND change the course of your cancer and health. This guided live program will provide the framework to 1) Turn you into an expert; 2) Give you control over your health; 3) Hold you accountable for doing the work to change your life; and 4) Be part of a group of similarly motivated people who want to take action...
2024-12-2007 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaAdvancing Survival - A Holistic Approach to Ocular MelanomaWhat can you do to improve your mind, body and spirit? Whether you have ocular melanoma or any other medical condition, there is always something you can do to improve. Everything that you do to improve, will change the trajectory of your health and your life. Listen here to the recording for the Advancing Survival - A Holistic Approach to Ocular Melanoma webinar. You'll learn from: a review of ocular melanoma, a discussion of specific actions to improve your physical and emotional health, and hear questions raised and answered from the audience. For Tara McCannel's resources (including w...
2024-12-152h 04
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaPan-Retinal Laser Photocoagulation After Ocular Melanoma TreatmentWhen does a patient need to have pan-retinal laser photocoagulation (otherwise known as "PRP") after ocular melanoma treatment? PRP laser is an important tool in the treatment of retinal ischemia (the lack of blood flow to areas of the retina) and in the setting of new and abnormal retinal vessels that have grown because of ischemia. In these settings, PRP can prevent the progression of new blood vessels that may cause glaucoma and blindness. In a similar disease, diabetic retinopathy, PRP has been shown to be vision-saving in the setting of abnormal vessels. What is the role o...
2024-11-2312 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWebinar: Advancing Survival - A Holistic Approach to Ocular MelanomaMark your calendars - please join me on Sunday, December 15th at 10:00-11:30AM PST. Register for the webinar below. I will share with you what a holistic approach to ocular melanoma can look like. Holistic means having to do with your whole-person health - mind, body and spirit. Making the greatest strides in your ocular melanoma recovery and health goes beyond focusing on your eyeball alone. Learn the benefits of understanding your health from a holistic perspective, and all the opportunities there are to improve. Everything you do matters! Register for December 15th Webinar here:
2024-11-1704 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaMaking Decisions From A Place of FearThere is much that is scary and frightening when one discovers that the diagnosis is ocular melanoma. However, there is also a tremendous amount of experience, information and data on almost every aspect of medical decision-making that will come up in your treatmewnt journey. I strongly believe that we must make our decisions based on facts, and never from a place of fear. Fear is an emotion that sometimes we or our doctors have in response to thoughts or information that may not be constructive nor true. Question whether a decision about your care has been made from "fear"...
2024-11-1516 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow to Manage Eye Pain After Ocular Melanoma TreatmentPain after ocular melanoma treatment may be due to dry eye, late onset inflammation, and from elevated eye pressure from new blood vessels forming in the eye. How do you know you may have dry eye, and how can you treat it? Learn also the symptoms of inflammation and how steroids may be helpful. For people with poor vision and pain, learn how this can be managed and when might be the best instances to consider removing the eye. For Tara McCannel's resources, visit my website: https://seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma Welcome to Finding Your Way w...
2024-11-1120 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhite Lights & Flashing After Ocular Melanoma TreatmentSome people notice the recurrence of white lights and flashing in the treated melanoma eye within a year or so after the radiation treatment. This symptom can be alarming because it often is very similar to the original flashing and white lights that a person may have noticed at the time the ocualr melanoma was diagnosed. It is normal to think that the cancer is coming back. However, it is not! Flashing after treatment, in my experience has never been associated with ocular melanoma recurrence after treatment. A tumor that is dying and shriveling may produce localized i...
2024-11-0906 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaMcCannel's Ocular Melanoma Resources - All in One PlaceWelcome to my new resource website: seyhart.com/ocularmelanoma! While I may not be able to serve as everyone's ocular oncologist, I've shared my expertise and years of experience into creating this site to offer accurate, constructive, and up-to-date information to anyone navigating ocular melanoma. I understand that the internet can feel overwhelming, with conflicting or outdated resources, so my goal is to provide a trustworthy, easy-to-use hub for those seeking support. Here's what you'll find on the site: Podcast Archive: Access all past episodes of Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma—featuring valuable in...
2024-10-3010 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaRisk Factors for Metastasis in Ocular MelanomaThe number one risk factor for the ocular melanoma metastasizing to the liver is the size of the tumor at the time of diagnosis. The larger the size of the ocular melanoma, the higher the risk of metastasis. Early detection and early treatment are imperative to reduce this risk. The second risk factor is the molecular biology of the ocular melanoma that we can obtain from a tumor biopsy. We can test for a series of markers that can tell us if the melanoma has a low risk of metastasizing, or has a high risk of metastaizing. These markers...
2024-08-2920 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaVision Improvement Years After Plaque BrachytherapyIs it possible for vision to improve years later after brachytherapy plaque treatment and radiation side-effects? Yes! This is a phenomenon that is no longer a surprise to me when I hear about vision improvement from my patients. Although we have been told that the radiation will result in vision loss and blindness, it is rarely so devastating as some ocular oncologists make it out to be. The trickiest thing with vision side-effects after radiation, is that ultimate final vision is hard to predict with accuracy. I share a story about a long-standing patient of mine, who has had...
2024-08-0712 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaIntravitreal Injections After Ocular Melanoma TreatmentIntravitreal injections are shots of medicine that go into ("intra-") the eye ball and directly into the vitreous cavity ("vitreal"), the innermost part of the eyeball. There are two main categories of shots: 1) steroids; and 2) Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) agents. Steroids work best when the eye is inflamed - inflammation is usually transient and can happen within a year or two after radiation treatment. Inflammation usually is accompanied by aching pain of the eye and of the tissues surrounding the eye, like the eyelid, temple or forehead. Inflammatory pain is usually worse at the end of...
2024-08-0219 min
Mind Body MDFinding Fulfillment in a Career in Oncology - Dr. Bartosz ChmielowskiJoin me in a personal conversation with my close colleague and fellow ocular melanoma expert, Bartosz Chmielowski, MD. Dr. Chmielowski is a Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). With a passion for immunology and research, he joined the Division of Hematology-Oncology alongside world-renowned melanoma experts, such as Antoni Ribas, MD. While the field of cutaneous melanoma has made leaps and bounds, Dr. Chmielowski demands that the field of uveal melanoma make similar progress. He shares how he achieves a balance with his work life, and how he reflects upon the acts...
2024-08-0138 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaOcular Melanoma Metastasis - Overview with Bartosz Chmielowski, MDIn today's episode, I welcome my friend and colleague of nearly two decades, Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology at UCLA, Dr. Bartosz Chmielowski. I am so grateful to have him as part of our expert team. Dr. Chmielowski discusses the challenges of metastasis, the differences between imaging modalities for screening, and his preferences. The landscape of treating ocular melanoma metastasis is very different today, as experience continues to grow in liver-directed therapies. Enjoy this episode! Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about your experience with...
2024-08-0156 min
Mind Body MDAligning Your Head With Your Heart - Dr. Brandon Lujan Discusses Being True to YourselfHave you ever been faced with the thought that you may not be doing the things that are the most important to you? International retinal imaging expert Brandon Lujan, MD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Oregon Health Sciences University Casey Eye Institute shares his story. A couple of years ago, Dr. Lujan took a sabbatical year and traveled the United States and the world, letting go of all the things we believe we must do to be good practicing physicians. He shares how fear may be a limiting belief of ours, and how the Serenity Prayer continues to be a...
2024-07-1441 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow Do You Prevent Radiation Retinopathy?Radiation damage is an irreversible, non-fixable, and un-curable state. Thankfully this is exactly what we need to destroy cancer. However, when healthy tissues get damaged by radiation, there is nothing we can do that will return the damaged tissue to its original healthy state. In order to prevent radiation retinopathy and damage, there are three things that can be done: 1) Diagnose and treat small melanomas early; the smaller the tumor, the less radiation is needed to destroy it. 2) Use notched plaques sparingly and only when the melanoma is wrapped more than 180 degrees around and touching the optic nerve. 3) Use...
2024-06-3025 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaHow Do You Treat Radiation Retinopathy?Radiation retinopathy occurs when the healthy non-tumor tissue of the retina gets damaged by the radiation that is intended for the ocular melanoma undergoing treatment. Although we have nothing that will "cure" or "eliminate" radiation retinopathy, we do have helpful treatments for radiation retinopathy that I will discuss in this episode. Radiation damage happens at the time of treatment. Radiation works by damaging the DNA of the tumor cells so that the melanoma cells are unable to divide and proliferatie. Once the treatment is over, we cannot "un-do" the damage to the DNA of cells that might...
2024-06-3024 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat is Radiation Retinopathy?Radiation retinopathy is when the vessels of the retina are damaged because of the side effect of the radiation treatment necessary to kill the ocular melanoma. To kill the ocular melanoma, there is healthy tissue that may be unintentionally affected by the radiation treatment. Because the normal tissues of the retina are not normally rapidly dividing like the cancer cells are, we often do not see any effect on healthy tissue for at least 6 months and sometimes as long as 5-7 years later. Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there i...
2024-06-3013 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaSide Effects of Ocular Radiation TreatmentWhat are the side effects of ocular radiation treatment? Whether one is undergoing brachytherapy plaque, external beam radiotherapy, gamma knife radiotherapy or proton beam radiotherapy, there may be nearby healthy tissues that are affected by the radiation that is intended for killing the melanoma itself. What does this mean for the health of the eye, surrounding tissues and vision? 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 a...
2024-06-2317 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaTumor Biopsy - Biopsy Techniques and SafetyWe continue our topic of Tumor Biopsy, with a focus on some different techniques, how the biopsy is performed and also addressing safety of tumor biopsy. In summary, my preferred approach is first through the sclera behind where the tumor is sitting and then second preferred technique is with direct visualization of the tumor as the last step of performing a vitrectomy. Getting real-time feedback from a biopsy assistant is critical to ensure that we have good sample that we are sending for the various prognostic tests. Our center at UCLA has published the long-term safety of performing biopsy...
2024-06-2023 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaTumor Biopsy - Why Get a Biopsy in Ocular MelanomaWhy would one need to get a biopsy in the setting of ocular melanoma? I discuss some reasons why: 1) To get pathology in cases where a clinical diagnosis is not clear. 2) To get information on cancer prognosis, to better understand the potential risk of developing metastasis. 3) To gain access to future clinical trials where your molecular prognostication may be required for study entry. Pathology, gene expression profiling, cytogenetics, DNA-based testing and immunohistochemistry for BAP-1 mutation are discussed. Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about your experience w...
2024-06-2021 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaDouble Vision After Ocular Melanoma SurgeryIt is very normal to have double vision right after ocular melanoma surgery, due to the edema and swelling of all the tissue in the orbit that can squish the eye muscles making them not work as well. Usually, the radiation from the plaque or from protons does NOT effect the extra-ocular muscles. Short term double vision is best managed with observation and using the eye like normal, with no patching. This helps train the brain to bring the eye into alignment with the fellow eye. Persistent straight-ahead double vision that has stopped improving after about 3 months can be...
2024-06-0518 min
Mind Body MDKetamine & Psychedelics in a Holistic Approach to Medical Care - Dr. Jordanna QuinnWhat do you do when most of our health problems come from our mindset? The only way to truly help people heal themselves is to incorporate a holistic approach to the practice of medicine. Meet Dr. Jordanna Quinn, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist, and owner of KORE Regenerative Medicine in Golden, Colorado. Dr. Quinn shares the story of how she came to her holistic practice today, she chats about DO training, and she discusses how psychedelic therapy can help people see the things in their minds that are holding them back from living their best...
2024-06-0545 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhy I Discourage Eye-Patching After Ocular Melanoma SurgeryUsing your treated melanoma eye together with your fellow better-seeing eye as soon as possible after your radiation surgery is the fastest way to visual recovery. Sometimes people find themselves wearing a patch over their treated eye because it may seem easier to get through the adjustment and transition period after surgery. However, NOT wearing an eye-patch is actually the fastest way to visual recovery - by presenting images from each eye (even if one may be inferior) to your brain for processing is the fastest way for you to get used to seeing again. Using both eyes together...
2024-05-2908 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaLiving with Decreased Vision After Ocular Melanoma TreatmentFaced with the possibility of losing sight, a new diagnosis of ocular melanoma can be a time of fear and uncertainty. This may also be fueled by the traditional ways in which vision is measured, using the Snellen eye chart and measuring the smallest line of letters that we can read. However, vision is much more than the eye chart. Most of the ways in which we use our vision are not routinely measured at all. Instead, it is more practical to find out how patients are managing with their everyday tasks, and to find out what areas of...
2024-05-2622 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaConfusion with Brain Scans and Ocular MelanomaAbdominal imaging with focus on the liver is the key way to monitor for spread of ocular melanoma (metastasis). However, sometimes patients may get a scan of the brain - CT scan, MRI or PET-CT scan. There may be confusion around the brain imaging report and what is actually happening in the eye with the melanoma. I will share different scenarios both before ocular melanoma treatment, and after treatment to help shed light on how to resolve any confusion. Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about y...
2024-05-1913 min
Mind Body MDTaking a Holistic Approach to Health Data - Medical Oncologist Dr. Rebecca Miksad Shares Her Expertise in Health TechEver felt that randomized multi-centered placebo-controlled prospective clinical trials just don't help your average patient? It's because they actually may not. How can we access real-world patient data to offer the best care and treatments? Rebecca Miksad, MD, MPH is the Founder and CEO of Miksad Consulting, LLC in the health tech space and Professor of Medicine in Oncology at Boston University School of Medicine. She has been a Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Head of Strategic Affairs at Flatiron Health. Dr. Miksad obtained a bachelors, a Masters of Pulbic Health and a Masters of Science degrees at...
2024-05-1243 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat to Do About the Cataract in my Good Eye?Are you someone who has been told "to wait as long as possible" to have cataract surgery in your good eye, because you have poor vision in the eye that had the ocular melanoma? Has a doctor told you NEVER to have cataract surgery in your better eye? Is your cataract surgeon scared to treat the cataract in your good eye? Read on! You are not alone. We are born with a natural lens in our eye that starts off crystal clear. Our lens focuses light onto the retina inside so that we can see. Because the l...
2024-05-0312 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaGetting a Second OpinionHave you been given a diagnosis of ocular melanoma and you want to get another opinion for confirmation? Or you just want to learn more about what other centers offer for treatment? Have you been diagnosed with something unusual or "suspicious" and you want another set of eyes to reassure you things are okay? Know that getting a second opinion is a normal part of educating yourself and engaging with your diagnosis, whatever the diagnosis may be. Red flags: your doctor discourages you from getting a second opinion, your doctor acts offended you want a second opinion. Yellow flag...
2024-05-0312 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaTumor RecurrenceWhat is tumor recurrence? Another more technical term for this is "local treatment failure" - when the original surgery or treatment procedure to destroy the ocular melanoma results in re-growth or continued growth of the ocular tumor at a later date. Learn about how your ocular oncologist may decide that recurrence is happening, and what can be done about it. 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 e...
2024-04-2309 min
Mind Body MDLiving With Gratitude - Inspiring Reflections by Dr. Suber HuangHow can we make the most of every opportunity around us? Join me with vitreoretinal surgeon Suber Huang, MD, MBA, founder of the Retina Center of Ohio. Among his accomplishments are founding the Retina Image Bank, the largest open-access collection of retinal images for all people to explore and learn more about eye disease. He has been an academic professor of ophthalmology for many years, and has led the largest society of retinal specialists, the American Society of Retina Specialists throughout his career. Be inspired by his stories, his life and how gratitude continues to play a central role...
2024-04-1346 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat To Expect When the Plaque is On the EyeImmediately after the initial plaque placement surgery has been completed, what can one expect over the following days that the plaque is on the eye? 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...
2024-03-3014 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWhat Happens in Plaque Surgery for Ocular Melanoma?What exactly happens in plaque surgery? Learn about the steps in surgery, how the surgeon gets exposure of your eye surface to place the plaque, and how the surgeon figures out exactly where to put the plaque to kill the ocular melanoma. 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 t...
2024-03-3017 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaPost-Radiation FatigueFeeling unusually exhausted about a month after your radiation treatment is a fairly common phenomenon among patients. Most importantly it goes away in a few weeks and can be regarded as your body's response to the dying melanoma. 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 l...
2024-03-3004 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaAll About EnucleationWhat is involved in enucleation surgery? What is it like to have a prosthesis? What are the situations where I might need to consider having an enucleation? Learn more about how ocular oncologists decide to recommend enucleation both at the time of diagnosis, and after your treatment for ocular melanoma. 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 o...
2024-03-2520 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaProton Beam Radiotherapy - An OverviewHow is getting proton beam treatment different than plaque brachytherapy? During my fellowship training, proton beam treatment at the Northwest Proton Beam Center at Massachusetts General Hospital was the standard of care for ocular melanoma patients. As a trainee I was involved in tantalum clip placement and helped patients first-hand through the radiation sessions. 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 m...
2024-03-2507 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaThe Radiation PlaqueThe most common way to treat an ocular melanoma is by using seeds of radiation of a specific isotope, usually Iodine-125 or Palladium-103, that are contained in a gold carrier, called a plaque. We call the method of delivering radiation via seeds, brachytherapy. How does radiation work? How long should it be in place? What do I need to do to be safe? What do we look for to know that the treatment has worked? Welcome to Finding Your Way with Ocular Melanoma, a guide to understanding everything there is to know about your experience with this r...
2024-03-2319 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaGlaucoma in the Setting of Ocular MelanomaThere is an 8.6% incidence of developing glaucoma after plaque brachytherapy in ocular melanoma. Glaucoma is a highly treatable disease in the field of ophthalmology. Sometimes glaucoma may be missed, and/or sup-optimally treated in a tumor eye, compared to an eye that does not have a melanoma. Learn why it is important to understand how well your glaucoma is being managed. 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...
2024-03-2115 min
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaOverview of the Eye and Ocular Melanoma DiagnosisIn this episode, we chat about the human eyeball, where ocular melanoma forms in relation to the structures of the eye, symptoms that might happen with a growing ocular melanoma, how the diagnosis is made, and some basic types of treatment options. 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 t...
2024-03-151h 00
Finding Your Way with Ocular MelanomaWelcome to Finding Your Way With Ocular Melanoma - host Tara McCannel MD PhDWhy do I believe we need a podcast about Ocular Melanoma authored by a physician? 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...
2024-03-1405 min
Mind Body MDCareer Wellness - How Do We Achieve This? Join Me With Guest Retina Surgeon Dr. Nicholas FarberPrioritizing physician health and wellness is Nicholas Farber, MD's role in the Vit-Buckle Society (VBS), the most engaging, pro-participation and supportive learning community that exists for up and coming vitreoretinal surgeons. How do we physicians speak out about our own unmet emotional and physical needs? How can we support each other and ourselves? Dr. Farber, a vitreoretinal surgeon in private practice in Tallahasee, Florida shares his personal wellness journey during his training and early career. The content shared on the Mind Body MD podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. T...
2024-03-0630 min
Mind Body MDHow to Teach and Practice Whole-Person Medicine, with guest Dr. Camille PalmaHow does a busy physician and surgeon make time to understand the whole patient? How can the anxiety and stress of having a diagnosis and getting a procedure be reduced? And why does this matter? Join me with guest Camille Palma, MD, retinal surgeon in private practice who is also committed to teaching residents and fellows at Northwestern University, Chicago. Dr. Palma, a 200-hour registered yoga teacher, shares with us her journey and mission that better understanding our patients as people will make us better doctors. Dr. Palma's website: yogaeyedoc.com The content shared on t...
2024-02-0928 min
Mind Body MDFinding Joy in Practicing Medicine with Guest Dr. Alex LevinHow do we teach doctors in training to care for the whole person when providing medical care? How can we find joy in caring and helping those whom we serve despite the changing landscape of medicine? Join me with my life-long mentor and guest Alex V. Levin MD, Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ocular Genetics at the Rochester University Medical Center. Learn how to live with gratitude, live with happiness, and appreciate the privilege of patient care. The content shared on the Mind Body MD podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute m...
2024-01-1926 min
Mind Body MDYour Brain Can Cause Pain - Fibromyalgia with Guest Dr. Martina ZiegenbeinOne out of 5 people suffer from pain due to fibromyalgia. Join me with guest expert Martina Ziegenbein MD, a rheumatologist whose practice and career is focused on this condition. What is fibromyalgia? How do people get diagnosed? What causes fibromyalgia, and what can people do to help themselves? Learn about how the central nervous system - our brain, the store-house of our past experiences - may influence our physical health. Embracing our experiences may allow us to "re-wire" our neuroplasticity, and change how we respond and experience our lives. How can I learn more about Dr. Ziegenbein a...
2024-01-1443 min
Mind Body MDBringing Complementary Medicine into Treating DiseaseHow do we bring complementary medicine to the table when treating our patients? What is the difference betwen alternative and complementary medicine? How can we benefit by adopting a complementary approach? Learn more about complementary medicine to help your patients overcome their struggles with disease. Appreciate how physicians who understand complementary medicine and educate patients about complementary medicine can have an incredibly positive impact on patient care. The content shared on the Mind Body MD podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided must not be used as a...
2024-01-1217 min
Mind Body MDExploring the Patient Experience with Guest Dr. Indu SubramanianToday we explore the patient experience in the context of Parkinson Disease. My guest, Dr. Indu Subramanian is a neurologist at the University of California, Los Angeles and is board certified in Integrative Medicine. Her subspecialty is the diagnosis and management of patients with Parkinson Disease. We discuss her experiences, her research and the community of healthcare professionals whose common goal is to offer holistic support for patients to thrive even in the setting of a new diagnosis. The content shared on the Mind Body MD podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not c...
2024-01-0746 min
Mind Body MDThe Impact of a Caring Doctor-Patient RelationshipThe best doctor-patient relationship goes beyond the doctor being knowledgable, having technical skills and being experienced. When we treat our patient like a good friend, and truly care about how we can make everything that is brought to our attention better - no matter the situation, we change the dynamic of the interaction to one of hope, positivity, and gratitude. Our attitude helps empower patients to do better. Learn more ways to be open-minded and positive to better serve your patients on today’s episode of Mind Body MD, with host Tara McCannel. The content shared on the...
2023-12-2627 min
Mind Body MDWhy Do Physicians Struggle with a Holistic Approach?How can it be that your physician may not be your best health advocate? In this episode you will gain more understanding and an appreciation for where your physician is coming from, and the factors that may play a role in their limitations. Learn how to be a better doctor to serve your patients on today’s episode of Mind Body MD, with host Tara McCannel. The content shared on the Mind Body MD podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided must not be used as a sub...
2023-12-1826 minMind Body MDHello I'm Tara McCannelWelcome to my very first podcast on Mind Body MD. I'm Tara McCannel and I can't wait to share with you my story and mission to bring holistic health to everyone. I hope you will learn, get inspired, and be motivated to empower your healing, and to live your best life. If you are in healthcare yourself, fantastic! I am excited to share with you everything I've learned. The content shared on the Mind Body MD podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided must not be used as a...
2023-12-0816 min