Is eye melanoma the same thing as skin melanoma, just inside the eyeball?

Yes: Melanoma is a malignant overgrowth of melanocytes. Melanocytes are most numerous in the skin which is why almost all melanoma occurs in the skin. However, melanocytes are also found in other parts of the body, including the eye. Ocular (eye) melanoma is rare but is often more serious because it usually diagnosed at later stages and even treatment of early lesions can lead to loss of vision.

Yes: Yes, under the microscope. Unfortunately, eye melanoma is often not discovered as early and the results of treatment may not be as good in this location.

Different genetics: Although melanoma of the skin and and melanoma of the eye may look similar microscopically, there are very significant genetic differences which in some ways make then different cancers. For that reason patients with eye melanoma are not included in most new drug testing clincial trials for skin melanoma, .

Basically: Basically yes. Occular melanoma tends to travel to the liver more commonly than other melanomas/.

Yes but: The more aggressive types of eye melanoma can spread to other parts of the body including the brain seek an opinion from a university center that deals with these to determine your options.