Coping with cancer
What you need to know to cope with eye cancer
Different emotions can affect you after a cancer diagnosis. You may feel shocked, overwhelmed, numb, scared and uncertain, confused, angry, resentful — or even guilty at times. Everyone reacts in their own way, and these emotions often change over time. Coming to terms with having cancer can be difficult. Feeling this way is a natural part of coping with the illness.
Eye cancer and its treatment can lead to physical changes, including changes in your vision and appearance. These changes may affect your self-esteem and how you relate to others, especially close family and friends.
Learn more about changes in vision and appearance.
You may also experience fatigue or a general sense of tiredness caused by the cancer or its treatment.
Learn more about how to care for yourself and your appearance on the INCa website.
How can eye cancer affect your relationships and sexuality?
The physical changes caused by eye cancer — especially in your appearance or vision — can affect how confident you feel, including in intimate situations. If you've had surgery to remove an eye and now wear a prosthetic eye, you may worry about how your partner will react.
Even if others don’t notice your artificial eye, you know it’s there — and that can take time to adjust to. If surgery has changed other parts of your face and you’re unhappy with your appearance, there are options available to help.
What you can do
Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about how you look. If you can also share your feelings with your partner, things may start to feel less difficult over time. A caring, supportive partner can help ease your worries — including them in what you’re going through can strengthen your relationship.
Getting informed
You may be better able to cope and make decisions if you have clear information about your type of cancer and its treatment. Having the right information helps you know what to expect. This website aims to provide additional information alongside what you receive during your medical consultations.
Gathering information can be difficult, especially right after diagnosis. Prepare a list of questions before your appointments. Bring someone with you to help remember what you want to ask and to recall the answers. Don’t hesitate to ask your care team to explain things again if needed.
Being Heard
Illness can cause psychological distress. Anxiety about the future, loss of familiar routines, changes in body image, and difficulties communicating with loved ones can all be unsettling and make you feel vulnerable.
Everyone experiences illness and treatment differently, depending on their personal history, personality, and social and professional relationships. It’s important to express your doubts and fears, especially with your healthcare team. This way, you can be heard and, if necessary, receive psychological support.
Based on your needs and wishes, you may be referred to a specialist or patient support organizations. The French Cancer League offers a free, anonymous, and confidential listening service. You can reach the Cancer Info line at 0 805 123 124, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Skilled psychologists provide immediate, personalized, and tailored support.
It can be hard to tell people you have cancer and decide who to talk to, especially when it comes to children.
Why you might need to talk
Some families find it difficult to discuss cancer because they’re afraid of the emotions it brings up. Your friends and loved ones might avoid talking about your cancer because they worry you won’t be able to handle it. They may not want to upset you. Your family might avoid the topic or change the subject when you bring it up. This can make you feel even more worried and strain your relationships.
But it’s important to know that even if your family doesn’t talk about your illness, they’re probably thinking about it a lot and want to find ways to support you. You can help by letting them know you want to talk about what’s happening and how you feel.
Learn more:
How and what to tell children
It’s not always easy to decide what to say to children, especially when they are very young. Very young children don’t fully understand illness. Generally, they:
- focus mainly on what is happening around them right now,
- need simple explanations,
- often need these explanations repeated.
It’s important to simply explain why a loved one might feel unwell some days. Parents should think about what children need to know before visiting someone undergoing treatment or recovering. For example, a young child may have trouble understanding why they can’t climb on their grandparent if they haven’t been told in advance.
For older children, you can explain cancer by talking about good and bad cells. The level of detail should match each child’s understanding and interest. In general, it’s best to keep things simple.