Vision changes

What you need to know about vision changes with eye cancer

Effects on your vision

How eye cancer can affect your vision

Eye cancers are very rare and do not always affect vision. Whether or not your sight is impacted depends on:

  • The type of eye cancer you have.
  • Where the tumor is located — on the surface, inside, or around the eye. If the cancer involves parts responsible for vision (like the cornea, retina, or optic nerve), sight loss may be more significant. You can think of the eye like a camera connected to a computer: if the lens, sensor, or cable is damaged, the image won’t be transmitted correctly.
  • The stage of the cancer — advanced cancers are more likely to affect vision.

Vision changes can range from mild to complete loss in the affected eye. There are treatments that aim to preserve vision, but it’s not always possible.

The main goals of treatment are to:

  1. Destroy cancer cells,
  2. Preserve the eye,
  3. Preserve vision when possible.

Vision loss

If the tumor affects key visual structures like the macula or optic nerve, saving vision becomes much harder. In severe cases, the entire eye may need to be removed (enucleation), resulting in complete loss of sight in that eye.

Visual hallucinations

After enucleation, some people feel like the eye is still present and may "see" things that aren't there. Doctors call this phantom vision, and although it can be unsettling, it’s usually temporary.

Regular eye check-ups

It’s important to maintain regular follow-up with your ophthalmologist.
A check-up should take place every six months. Side effects from radiotherapy may appear within a few months or take several years to develop (known as radiation-related complications). Follow-up exams help detect any issues early and monitor changes in your vision over time.

Coping with vision changes

Changes in vision can affect reading, driving, work, and everyday mobility. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help you adapt. The type of support you may need depends on how significant the changes to your vision are.

Everyday life with poor eyesight

Living with one functional eye: what to expect

Losing vision in one eye — whether due to a tumor, trauma, retinal infarction, retinal detachment, or glaucoma — often leads to similar everyday challenges.

At first, many patients experience clumsiness in daily activities: pouring water beside a glass, misjudging steps, or struggling with depth perception. Balance may also be affected. This is common after enucleation surgery or sudden vision loss caused by cancer. If the loss happened a long time ago, patients are usually less impacted, having had time to adjust.

Thankfully, these issues tend to improve over time as the brain adapts to receiving input from only one eye. Some temporary eye strain may occur in the healthy eye. If a cataract is present in that eye, early surgery may be needed to maintain good vision.

Protecting the remaining eye is crucial: avoid high-risk sports like squash or boxing, and wear protective eyewear for gardening or DIY activities. An annual eye exam is essential to monitor both the healthy and operated eye.

Help and support

Several professionals can provide guidance: doctors, nurses, social workers, and occupational therapists.
A social worker can help you access available benefits.
An occupational therapist can assess your home and recommend modifications to make daily life easier.
Organizations such as the local Departmental Center for People with Disabilities (MDPH) can also support you in your administrative and personal steps related to disability.

What should I do if I’m living with a disability?

Don't hesitate to seek help to understand your rights, access available support, and receive the care and guidance you need.