Living with OM
Surveillance & Survivorship
Follow-Up Care Follow-up care is different for every person. Factors to consider can be anything from the results of the tumor biopsy to the location of the tumor and even the medical provider. Follow-up care will consist of ongoing monitoring and surveillance, including: Scans (MRI/CT/PET scan/X-ray/ultrasound) are a way to monitor the spread of the disease. Scans are likely to be scheduled on a recurring basis, usually every three to twelve months, but it depends on your melanoma subtype and risk of recurrence. This is an important piece to discuss with your doctor.
Coping With Vision Issues
Depending on the treatment received, vision loss or monocular vision may become your new normal. Adjusting to monocular vision or vision loss will take time, so try not to get discouraged. Support services from social workers, therapists and loved ones may be helpful when adjusting to the loss of vision. It is normal to experience a period of grief due to these new changes and challenges. Always remember that there are people trained to assist you during this time. Resources for vision loss include adaptive services for reading, installing track lighting in areas that might need more light, services that perform home assessments and transportation plans if driving is affected. Employers may be able to help with lighting, reading assistance, screen shields or lens filters for more sensitive eyes. In addition, occupational therapists may be able to assist with visual perception issues.
It is important to keep up with routine visits with your ophthalmologist and medical oncologist.
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