“Is there a chance of eye damage during radiation therapy for nose cancer?”
My uncle is 60 years old and he recently underwent a chemotherapy for nose cancer. After the treatment got over, he was also facing some difficulty in reading and watching TV for too long. Could the radiation have caused damage to his eyes?
8 Answers
If no radiation is specifically aimed at or toward the eye, then no exposure of any clinical significance will occur. Talk to your physician to learn more about how they are treating it and the likelihood of eye exposure. Generally, there is minimal exposure to be concerned with however you should ask for details about your treatment plan.
Of course it depends on the situation. Please discuss with your RO.
The short answer is yes. Over time radiation can damage the retina and/or result in cataract formation. This, however generally would not start until about 6 months after the radiation ended.
Some eyes exposure can happen with radiation of nose, which may cause inflammation (conjunctivitis) as an early side effect. it can be treated with drops or ointment containing steroids. Usually it resolves in a few weeks after completion of treatment.
As the late side effect of eye radiation exposure is a cataract, which may develop in a few months after treatment or can progress if it was present before radiation. I would recommend to consult with ophthalmologist in this regard.
As the late side effect of eye radiation exposure is a cataract, which may develop in a few months after treatment or can progress if it was present before radiation. I would recommend to consult with ophthalmologist in this regard.
It can. Have an ophthalmologist check his eyes.
From your description, it sounds like your uncle did not have any radiation. If he did have radiation, his Radiation Therapist would have used special eye blocks to prevent any radiation from getting into his eyes.
Depending on the dose and type of radiation, the proximity of the field to his eyes, and the time since the end of his radiation it may have indeed caused some symptoms that can lead to blurry vision. Radiation can cause decreased tear production resulting in dry eyes - this results in your eyes getting blurry faster in between blinking (think of staring at a computer screen for hours). Radiation can also accelerate the formation of cataracts, but this happens several years after the radiation. The only way to know is to ask his Radiation Oncologist how much dose his eyes got and what side effects that dose could cause.
It is difficult to say without looking at your uncles' plan of treatment. If the vital structures were well shielded from the high dose radiation, little or no damage can occur from radiation. Chemotherapy may also cause some changes in the oral cavity and vision, etc. Every case is different and every treatment is different. Please talk to your doctor.
