This information is provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD).
Melanoma-associated retinopathy (MAR) is a rare autoimmune condition that occurs in some people with melanoma (a type of skin cancer) and can affect the vision. Signs and symptoms of MAR may include night blindness; photopsia (presence of perceived flashes of light); and progressive, painless vision loss. MAR occurs when the body’s immune system, in response to melanoma, mistakenly attacks the cells of the retina; however, it is poorly understood why this autoimmune response occurs in some people but not others. There is, unfortunately, no established treatment for MAR. Proposed strategies for treatment include immunosuppressive medications and/or standard treatment of the melanoma (i.e. surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy).[10313][10314][10315]
For more information, visit GARD.
