Evidence for the Role of Blue Light in the Development of Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma is the most common malignancy of the adult eye. Although it is a relatively infrequent tumor, clinical prognosis is often poor owing to a high incidence of aggressive metastatic disease, for which there are limited treatment options. Little is known about the etiology of this conditio...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Patrick Logan, Miguel Bernabeu, Alberto Ferreira, Miguel N. Burnier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2015-01-01
Series:Journal of Ophthalmology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/386986
Description
Summary:Uveal melanoma is the most common malignancy of the adult eye. Although it is a relatively infrequent tumor, clinical prognosis is often poor owing to a high incidence of aggressive metastatic disease, for which there are limited treatment options. Little is known about the etiology of this condition, although several risk factors have been identified. Unlike cutaneous melanoma, however, ultraviolet radiation does not figure prominently among these risk factors. In this review, we focus on an associated form of visible electromagnetic radiation, high-energy short-wave (blue) light, a causative agent in various forms of age-related retina damage, as a previously overlooked risk factor in uveal melanoma development and progression. Finally, we discuss the impact of these data on contemporary ocular therapy, particularly the debate surrounding the filtering capabilities of intraocular lenses used to replace dysfunctional crystalline lenses during cataract surgery.
ISSN:2090-004X
2090-0058