The dangers of sun exposure to both the eyes and the skin are well-documented, but not a lot has been said about skin cancers around the eye. Some complications are non-malignant and cause the skin to lose elasticity. Most sun-related skin lesions don't interfere with the function of the eye unless the lid is affected and doesn't close properly, according to Semes. But people still need to keep an eye on their moles. Ninety percent of basal cell carcinomas are found around the eye, mostly in the lower lid.
Experts theorize that's because that lid is most exposed to overhead ultraviolet radiation.
This type of cancer is locally invasive. It eats its way deeply under the skin, but it does not spread to other parts of the body and may not be painful, according to Semes. Signs that require a visit to an optometrist are changes in the mole's color and elevation, or bleeding of the mole. An optometrist will generally refer a patient with skin cancer of the eye to an oculoplastic specialist, practitioners of a narrow subspecialty of ophthalmology who completed a residency and fellowship training in lesions of the eye. People can avoid having to visit such a specialist by taking a few simple precautions.