Eye Cancer Program

Different types of eye cancer can develop from tissues in and around the eye. You can receive coordinated care for many eye cancers at Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Ophthalmologists work side by side with other medical specialists to accurately diagnose eye cancer and provide the treatment that’s best for your circumstances. Their extensive training enables our doctors to perform intricate surgeries. Our team can remove eye tumors and reconstruct the eye area with a high level of precision.

Eye cancers we treat

• Eye Cancer
• Eyelid Cancer
• Ocular Melanoma

Why choose us for eye cancer care?

Highlights of our program include:

• Highly skilled specialists: Our team includes surgeons with training in ophthalmic oncology and plastic and reconstructive surgery. This in-depth medical training enables us to perform intricate procedures to remove tumors and rebuild the eye. Our surgeons’ skill helps preserve the eye’s look and function, whenever possible.
• Coordinated care: Our eye (ophthalmic) and skin (dermatologic) surgeons partner to treat skin cancers near the eye, including eyelid cancer.
• We coordinate cancer removal and reconstructive surgeries to streamline your care. You can access all the services you need within one health system.
• Leading treatment options: We treat eye cancers using advanced therapies not widely available. We offer Mohs surgery for eyelid cancer and brachytherapy (a radioactive implant attached to the eye tissue) for ocular melanoma. These therapies require a high level of training and aren’t offered at many centers in the region.
• Genomic profiling: Specialized genetic tests (genomic expression profiling) can help predict how likely ocular melanoma is to metastasize (spread) beyond the eye. Through our partnership with MD Anderson, people at high risk for metastasis may be eligible for clinical trials exploring drugs that target tumor cells based on a cancer’s genetic makeup.

Leading eye cancer care in San Antonio

Our partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center helps people living in San Antonio and South Texas access advanced cancer therapies and specialized expertise, close to home.

Doctors from Mays Cancer Center and MD Anderson combine their expertise to ensure the most appropriate course of care for rare or complex cases. 

Get more information about our partnership with MD Anderson.

Our team approach to eye cancer

Ophthalmologists work closely with cancer doctors and other specialists to treat eye tumors that affect other areas, such as the sinuses or brain. At regular tumor board meetings, doctors discuss the details of challenging cases and determine the most appropriate treatment plan.

Our multidisciplinary eye cancer team includes:

• Ophthalmologists with additional training in cancer surgery (to remove eye tumors) as well as plastic and reconstructive techniques (to rebuild the eye, preserving look and function as much as possible)
• Other surgical specialists trained in intricate procedures to remove eye cancer that affects the sinuses (otolaryngologists), skin (dermatologists) or brain (neurosurgeons)
• Radiologists who help interpret imaging tests and determine how close a tumor is to critical structures
• Radiation oncologists who use advanced radiation therapies, like brachytherapy, to treat ocular melanoma
• Medical oncologists who stay up to date on the benefits of cancer-destroying drugs in eye cancer treatment
• Pathologists who understand the tiny differences in how eye cancers look and act

Research and clinical trials for eye cancer

Mays Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center in Central and South Texas. As a large academic medical center, our physician-scientists participate in hundreds of clinical trials that seek to advance cancer care from many angles.

Your doctor will explain whether you may be eligible for any ongoing eye cancer clinical trials, including how participation could improve your care.

Learn more about cancer research and clinical trials.

Care location

Medical Arts and Research Center 

• Ophthalmology | 6th Floor