Ophthalmic emergencies in cancer patients

There are few ophthalmological emergencies that are life threatening, but a number of ocular conditions in oncology patients require immediate diagnosis and management. Important symptoms that patients may present with emergently include acute visual loss, diplopia, red eye, proptosis, epiphora, ptosis, flashes, and floaters. Although the pathological processes that cause these symptoms are frequently isolated to the eye, they may also be harbingers to underlying malignancy, cancer recurrence, or complications secondary to chemotherapy and radiation. The ability to recognize and diagnose these diseases is imperative to preserve vision and possibly extend life. This chapter reviews the differential diagnosis and management of common ocular or visual symptoms encountered in a cancer hospital-based emergency center.