Ocular oncology in Medellín
Not everything that appears in the eye is cancer. And when it is, catching it early changes the outlook
Most eye moles are benign and only need monitoring. An ocular oncology specialist knows how to tell which ones need further testing. MDE Care is not a clinic: we arrange your assessment with ophthalmologists dedicated to tumors of the eye, eyelid and orbit in Medellín.
Eye, eyelid and orbit
adults and children
How soon should you see an eye tumor specialist?
Answer four questions about what you noticed. We tell you how soon the assessment should happen, which tests are usually ordered and how much the next step costs. It does not replace the specialist exam.
1Where is what worries you?
2Have you noticed any of these changes?
Check all that apply. If the lesion has looked the same for a long time, leave them unchecked.
3Has your vision changed?
4Do you already have recent eye tests?
Scheduled assessment and a record of the lesion
You said the lesion has looked the same for a long time. A stable lesion is usually benign. The specialist should record it with photographs to compare at future checkups.
Next step
- Scheduled consultation with the specialist
- Photograph of the lesion as a baseline
- Checkups to compare changes
Tests usually ordered
- Eyelid exam with a slit lamp
- Biopsy, if the specialist considers it necessary
If the lesion needs to be removed, eyelid reconstruction is coordinated with oculoplasty.
Consultation with the specialist, estimated price
COP 300,000to COP 450,000
Dilated eye exam and a written plan.
* Guidance only, not a diagnosis. Only the specialist, with the exam and tests, can say what a lesion is. Estimated prices, confirmed at the assessment.
How much does an ocular oncology assessment cost in Medellín?
Build your case: the consultation with the specialist, the imaging tests and, if the lesion is on the eyelid or the surface of the eye, a biopsy or excision. We show you the estimated total in pesos or US dollars.
First, the assessment
Everything starts with the consultation. The specialist examines the eye with the pupil dilated, reviews your previous tests and decides whether the lesion only needs monitoring, needs imaging or should be biopsied.
What is included
- Consultation with the eye tumor specialist
- Dilated eye exam
- Written plan and coordination with oncology if needed
What changes the price
- Where the lesion is: eyelid, surface or inside the eye
- How many checkups the specialist recommends
- The assigned clinic and specialist
1. Consultation with the ocular oncology specialist
2. Imaging tests
3. If the lesion is on the eyelid or the surface of the eye
The specialist decides at the consultation, based on how the lesion looks.
4. Major treatments, if the specialist recommends them
5. Follow-up checkups
The specialist decides how many and how often. Some can be done remotely when the specialist considers it safe.
Estimated total
COP 300,000to COP 450,000
Consultation with the specialist
Breakdown
- Consultation with the ocular oncology specialistCOP 300,000 to COP 450,000
* Estimated prices, confirmed at the assessment. The pathology study of a biopsy may have an additional cost depending on the laboratory. Guidance only, not a diagnosis.
What ocular oncology is
It is the branch of ophthalmology that diagnoses and treats tumors of the eye and the structures around it: the eyelids, the conjunctiva, the orbit and the lacrimal gland. In adults, the most common malignant tumor inside the eye is uveal melanoma; in children, retinoblastoma.
The first reassurance: not everything that appears in the eye is cancer. There are moles (nevi) and benign lesions that are only recorded and monitored. And when it is a malignant tumor, many treatments today aim to save the eye.
The specialist defines the diagnosis and the treatment of the eye, and works together with oncology, radiation therapy and pathology.
Lesions and tumors treated
Eye mole (nevus)
It can be on the conjunctiva, the iris or the choroid, at the back of the eye. Most are benign. They are photographed and compared at each checkup to catch any change in size or color early.
Ocular melanoma
It starts in the cells that give the eye its color. The most common is uveal melanoma (choroid, ciliary body or iris); it also occurs on the conjunctiva. It may cause no symptoms, or cause blurred vision, flashes or a dark spot on the iris.
Eyelid tumors
The most common is basal cell carcinoma. It usually looks like a lump or a sore that does not heal. A chalazion that does not improve with treatment may need a biopsy to rule out a tumor.
Tumors of the eye surface
They appear on the conjunctiva or at the edge of the cornea. Some are mistaken for a pterygium, a fleshy growth on the eye. That is why a lesion that grows or changes should be seen by the specialist.
Retinoblastoma in children
A tumor of the retina that almost always appears before age 5. Almost all children are cured if it is detected before it spreads outside the eye. The specialist manages it together with pediatric ophthalmology.
Ocular lymphoma
It is almost always a non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It shows up as mild, persistent inflammation inside the eye, so it can be mistaken for uveitis that does not improve with treatment.
When to see a doctor about an eye lesion
None of these signs on its own means there is cancer. They do justify having a specialist check it without waiting for your next routine checkup.
Go to the emergency department today if you suddenly lose vision, see a curtain covering part of your field of vision or have severe pain with a red eye. That cannot wait for a scheduled appointment.
How an eye tumor is assessed
Many lesions inside the eye are diagnosed with the exam and imaging, without surgery. On the eyelid and the surface, a biopsy is what confirms it.
Dilated eye exam
Drops that widen the pupil to see the whole retina and choroid. Your vision stays blurry for a few hours, so it is best to bring someone with you.
Fundus photography
It records how the lesion looks today. It is the baseline to compare at each checkup whether it has changed in size or color.
Eye ultrasound
It measures the size and thickness of the tumor and helps tell it apart from other lesions. It does not hurt: it is done with gel over the closed eyelid.
OCT and angiography
OCT shows the retina in layers; fluorescein angiography shows the blood vessels. Both help characterize the lesion.
MRI or CT scan
When the orbit needs to be assessed or to find out whether a tumor has spread outside the eye.
Biopsy
On the eyelid and conjunctiva, it is what confirms the diagnosis. In ocular lymphoma, a sample of the vitreous is taken, often with a vitrectomy.
Treatments for ocular melanoma and other eye tumors
They depend on the type of tumor, its size and where it is. Today most aim to control the tumor and save the eye.
Plaque brachytherapy
A small plaque with radioactive seeds is placed next to the tumor for a period of time. It is the most widely used treatment for uveal melanoma and aims to save the eye.
Laser, thermotherapy and cryotherapy
For small tumors or as a complement to another treatment. They are used, for example, in some retinoblastomas.
Chemotherapy
Through a vein, through the eye artery in retinoblastoma, or injected inside the eye in lymphoma. It is prescribed by the oncology team.
Surgery
Removal of eyelid or conjunctival tumors, with reconstruction in oculoplasty when needed. Removing the eye is reserved for cases where there is no other option.
Why follow-up is long. Even when the tumor is well controlled in the eye, uveal melanoma can reappear in other parts of the body years later. That is why, in addition to eye checkups, general follow-up continues over time with the oncology team.
How we arrange your ocular oncology assessment
A guided process, with clear information at every step.
Tell us about your case
On WhatsApp, with what you noticed, your self-check result and, if you have them, your previous tests.
We schedule
The appointment with the specialist, with the priority your case needs, and we tell you how to prepare.
Assessment
Dilated eye exam and the imaging tests the specialist orders.
Plan
Monitoring, biopsy or treatment, decided with oncology when needed.
Checkups
In person with imaging and, when the specialist considers it safe, remotely.
Assessment in Medellín for patients from abroad
We organize your visit so the consultation and tests fit, whenever possible, into a few days.
Prior review
Send us your reports, photos and ultrasounds before the trip so the specialist can review them.
Grouped appointments
We coordinate the consultation and imaging tests to reduce the days you need to stay.
Logistics
We guide you with accommodation and transportation in Medellín if you need them.
Remote checkups
Later checkups can be done remotely when the specialist considers it safe.
Why arrange your assessment with MDE Care
We are not a clinic: we are your coordination team. We connect you with specialists and accredited clinics in Medellín.
The right specialist
We take you to an ophthalmologist dedicated to eye tumors, not a general consultation.
Clear price at every step
You know from the start how much the consultation costs, which tests are paid separately and what is quoted.
Support from start to finish
Appointments, tests, results and checkups, with a team member following your case.
Organizations that support our work
Frequently asked questions about eye cancer and ocular melanoma
Does eye cancer exist?
Is a mole in the eye dangerous?
What are the symptoms of ocular melanoma?
Can eye cancer be cured?
Does the eye always have to be removed?
What does a white reflection in a child's photos mean?
How much does an ocular oncology assessment cost in Medellín?
Can I have the assessment if I live in another city or country?
Have you already had an ultrasound or been given a report?
Send it to us on WhatsApp. We help you book with the specialist with the priority your case needs.
Other ophthalmology subspecialties
Get clarity with a specialist
Write to us with what you noticed, your self-check result or your previous tests. We arrange your ocular oncology assessment in Medellín with the priority your case needs and a clear price from the first message.