Freckles on the eyes, also known as nevi, are usually harmless but can indicate the presence of cancerous growth. They are caused by melanocytes, which can cluster and give the location a darker appearance. Eye freckles can be found in the iris or choroid tissue and are more common in people of European descent. Regular eye exams can help identify changes in shape or size, and warning signs include color change or fluid production. Most eye moles are harmless, but fair-skinned people with blue eyes are at higher risk of melanoma eye cancer.
Freckles are collections of similar cells that form a different color to the surrounding area, and freckles on the eyes have the same cause as those found on the skin. Also known as nevi, freckles on the eyes are usually harmless and are not uncommon. While this is rare, freckles on the eyes can also indicate the possible presence of cancerous growth.
Those cells in the body that produce pigment in the skin and hair also grow in the eyes, called melanocytes. Usually, the melanocytes are scattered throughout the tissues, but sometimes a clustering of the cells can occur. This gives the location a darker appearance than the surrounding tissue. Most often, these colored spots are gray and flat, with a round shape, although they can also have yellow or brown tints.
Often, these groupings of melanocytes, which medical professionals also refer to as nevi, or nevus in the singular, are found in the colored part of the eye called the iris. Eye freckles can also be found in the choroid tissue, which sits behind the retina. These aggregations of cells are usually harmless.
According to experts, people can be born with nevi or they can develop them in the time between birth and middle age. People of European descent tend to develop nevi more often than people of other genetic ancestors. In fact, about XNUMX% of Caucasian people have freckles in the choroidal tissue.
Although most eye freckles are due to a benign collection of melanocytes, ophthalmologists recognize that eye freckles, just like skin moles, are capable of developing into cancerous growths called melanomas. Sun damage is related to skin cancers and thus may play a similar role in ocular nevi. Regular eye exams, which involve photographs of the eye, can help an ophthalmologist identify freckles that change shape or size in the eye. Other warning signs include color change, such as an orange tinge to the freckle or a freckle that produces fluid.
However, only a small minority of eye freckles require a doctor’s attention. Most eye moles are harmless and cause no health problems. If the nevus is cancerous, however, a surgeon may remove it during an operation or the patient may need to have radiation therapy. People with fair skin and blue eyes are the group with the highest risk of melanoma eye cancer.
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