Hi All
Havent posted here for ages. Went to optician a couple of weeks ago and he has referred me as he found something on back of my eyeball. I have had primary BC twice last time in 2005. When I looked up eye problems it says most common cancer to affect eye is breast or lung. Now in panic mode waiting for appointment at eye hospital.
Anyone out there come across this before?
Thanks
Ginger
Sorry about this, havent heard of it before. Did you go with eye rpoblems?
Hope you get some feedback on here x
Hi ginger,
this must be so worrying for you - but your optician is doing his job well! I have heard of this a few times over the past year (before that I had never heard of it) but I cannot recall who, or if it was here or on bcpals. The treatment seemed to be radiotherapy. I hope you get some replies from others who have been referred by opticians.
dawnhc
xxx
Hi Ginger,
sadly I have heard of this, last year a couple of ladies got eye secondaries.
I do know that avastin works on the eye but I don’t have a lot of info on it. My next door neighbour has got eye problems and was being left to go blind. As I was one of the people who was fighting last year for co-payment to be allowed I was able to help them get avastin injections. He is having them at local hospital but has to pay for drug admin and doctors time. Not ideal but they worked out it was better than him losing his sight.
If I can be of any use to you just let me know. Hope this has not upset you.
Love Debsxxx
Hi Ginger
I suppose the tricky bit is knowing if it’s in or outside your eye and whether the optic nerve is affected.
Double vision was my first symptom of having BC. I have a met above one eye, in the muscle bit. It’s much better now with hormonal therapy.
Take care and good luck
Anne x
Hi
I have to say that a relative of mine when for a routine sight test and the optician spotted her bc.
I have a couple of friends who have eye mets. One of them has had some radiotherapy. Belinda…x
Thanks everyone for your replies. I have now booked my appointment at the Eye Hospital and it is for 13 June. I can’t wait that long so am trying to get them to speed up my appointment taking into account my past history. I know there is only a really slim chance that it will be cancer but I need to know. I really hate the paranoia side of living with BC. Just when you think you have got it licked something else comes up to make you panic again.
Thank god we have this forum so I can come to somewhere where I know people understand how I feel.
Take care everyone
xxx
Hi Ginger,
The optitians can pick up loads through the eye , did he say there was something there? or maybe it’s the back of your eye is white instead of pink?
My daughter’s eyes were white instead of pink and it can be maculadegeneration disease.
Hope it’s nothing in your case as you have been through enough.
love Caronx
HI Caron
Thanks for your reply. The optician said it was a mark on the back of my eyeball, like a mole or birthmark which is why I panicked. I am much calmer today but am hoping that I can get my appointment changed so I don’t have to wait so long.
I know the stats are all in my favour but we all know as well how important it is to catch things early so to me the sooner its checked out the better.
I just wish I did’nt have to make a fuss to get seen sooner. Hey ho…
Thanks
Cathy x
Hi all
I was diagnosed with primary bc in Aug last year 08. Tumor 7.5mm less than one centimeter. I was assured it was very early, very small, no node or vascular invasion. Treatment wle and rads (no chemo). In feb 09 this year had pressure pain over right eye which becomes watery at times. Centre of forehead very senstive when touched. Went for eye test, all clear. All this was explained to oncologist who sent me for a scan in Feb which was clear. Still have the symptons. Have now arranged to see ongologist again to see if there are any other tests. Need to know as I feel I am losing control over the situation. I am struggling to understand the importance of early diagnoses when secondary disease appears to nearly always follow regadless of treatment etc., it is almost certain that death will follow any diagnosis of breast cancer no matter how early the treatment.
Dear Yellow,
I read your post and wondered if it may be helpful for you to speak to someone on our Helpline. The staff are able to offer emotional support and advice. It will be open at 9.00am. The number is :
0808 800 6000
Kindest regards
Janet
Facilitator
HI Yellow
I have been having eye problems since starting Tamoxifen in March, I like you had small lump 8mm and assured it had not gone anywhere.
However I took myself off to the opticians on Tuesday and she said she cannot see anything untoward.
I am still very worried as I am very tender on my forehead, and pain behind eyes, she says its not the Tamoxifen causing it.
I feel so ill and just want to give up, what do we do next ?.
Hi Yellow,
Please don’t feel so despondant. There are a lot of ladies with secondaries who come on this site because they value the support they find here. However, there are far more survivors of primary BC who don’t come on this site as they are busy getting on with their lives. Remember that there are approximately 45,000 women diagnosed with BC each year, but less than 12,000 deaths - that’s a lot more living than dying.
Best wishes
xx
Thanks ladies for all your support. It is really appreciated. I am afraid I do get dispondent at times but only because we are told the importance of early diagnosis, but how early is early? I know we should never use the word cure, and that breast cancer is very unpredictable, but I ask myself, where have we come in the past 40 years. Statistics suggest that the death rate in 1971 has dropped very little compared to current figurs. If I am unlucky and my eye problem turns out to be evidence of secondary disease then my “very early” breast cancer will have developed into secondary disease within 9 months. I have always been a supporter of breast cancer research even before I was diagnosed with it myself, but the more I learn about this disease and all it entails the more cynical I become. Sorry if this sounds a bit selfish and boarders on a rant, but this is how I feel. Thank goodness for this site. xx
Hi yellow
Please dont get despondent - it seems to me you still have every chance of this turning out to be nothing. yes secondaries to the eye can occur, but I think that opticians are particularly keen on referring people if they find anything at all. Have you had double vision? Flashig lights? Anything like that? If the answer is no then I think you have a really good chance of coming out of this one OK and I hope that is what happens. BC is unpredictable and statistics can be meaningless- but this could be something like a small tear etc.
Just a pain that you have to wait for the appointment and results.
take care
Cathy
HI
Istill have awful eye pain, had eyes tested last week and that was fine, now I am worried about secondary eye cancer, rang my bc nurse and she said that im jumping to conclusions, never had this eye prob till I had surgery in April. oh I dont no what to think anymore…
xxx
I had breast cancer in 2007. I went to options last month as I was aware that my eyes were deteriorating. I’m 65 so not a surprise. Realised at the test that my left eye was really blurred and optician referred me to Hospital. Following various tests, scans, photos etc at both local hospital and specialist eye Hospital in Sheffield I’ve been told it’s most likely secondary breast cancer. There’s a difference to the shape if it’s a melanoma apparently. Tests were all painless by the way. I now have an appointment on Thursday with the oncologist I saw for my breast cancer to discuss treatment. Will probably have body scans to make sure it’s nowhere else. Where do you live? If there’s anything you want to ask that I can answer for you fire away.