Ophthalmological Manifestations of Systemic Neoplasia and Its Treatment

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and affects individuals of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Although primary ocular cancers are uncommon, patients with systemic malignancy can develop visual problems in three general ways: (1) direct invasion of the eye, orbit, or visual pathways by the primary tumor or metastasis, (2) paraneoplastic phenomena secondary to the development of antibodies in response to the presence of a tumor, and (3) ocular complications related to systemic antineoplastic therapy. Given that patients often seek the services of an ophthalmologist when visual problems develop, ophthalmologists should be aware of these potential ophthalmological manifestations in patients with systemic malignant disease. Further, visual signs and symptoms may precede the diagnosis of an underlying malignancy, making the ophthalmologist an often-critical source of medical care delivery for these patients. This chapter emphasizes the effects of systemic cancer and its treatment on the visual system and does not address primary ocular, orbital, or optic nerve tumors.