Retinal Lymphoma

Retinal Lymphoma is a cancer of a type of white blood cells, called lymphocytes, which tend to proliferate uncontrollably in the retinas and the brain to cause loss of vision and life-threatening disease.

This cancer usually develops in men and women older than 50 years unless the immune system is deficient, in which case it can develop at a younger age.

In the early stages, retinal lymphoma can resemble ocular inflammation (‘uveitis’), and all too often patients receive the wrong diagnosis and treatment for months or even years. The diagnosis is confirmed by vitreous biopsy, obtaining a sample of vitreous gel with an instrument known as a vitreous cutter (similar to a needle), and examining the specimen in a laboratory.

Ocular treatment usually consists of radiotherapy or repeated injections of chemotherapy into the eye. Sooner or later (sometimes even before the eye disease), lymphoma develops in the brain to cause very serious illness. Treatment of brain lymphoma (known as CNS lymphoma) has advanced in recent years, so that life expectancy has improved. Some centers, therefore, treat retinal lymphoma with systemic chemotherapy, possibly also including immunotherapy, in the hope of delaying or preventing the brain lymphoma.

Conjunctival Cancers, other than melanoma, include squamous cell carcinoma, lymphoma, and other rare types.