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Understanding How Cancer Treatment May Affect Your Eyes
AUGUST 20, 2026—Every year, Australians come together on Daffodil Day to support cancer research, celebrate hope, and recognise the strength of those affected by cancer. While most conversations focus on treatment, recovery and fundraising, there is one aspect of health that often receives less attention: our eyes.
Whether you’re undergoing treatment yourself, supporting a loved one, or simply taking the opportunity to learn more this Daffodil Day, understanding how cancer and its treatments may affect vision can help you recognise changes early and seek appropriate advice.
When we think about cancer treatment, we often think about fatigue, hair loss or nausea. However, the eyes can also be affected during treatment, sometimes in subtle, temporary ways and sometimes requiring professional attention.
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies and certain medications can occasionally influence eye health. Depending on the individual and the type of treatment, some people may experience:
Fortunately, many of these symptoms improve once treatment finishes, but they should never be ignored.
Your eyes are among the fastest-healing tissues in the human body.
The surface of your eye continually repairs itself, with many of its outer cells naturally replacing themselves every few days. While this remarkable ability helps protect your vision, some cancer treatments can temporarily slow this process or affect tear production, making your eyes feel dry, uncomfortable or more sensitive than usual.
It’s just another reminder that healthy vision relies on the whole body working together.
Changes in vision can sometimes happen gradually, making them easy to overlook during what is already a physically and emotionally demanding time.
Regular eye examinations provide an opportunity to monitor eye health, update prescriptions as needed, and identify any changes that may benefit from early intervention. In many cases, simple treatments may significantly improve comfort and quality of life during recovery.
Importantly, your optometrist forms part of your broader healthcare team, working alongside your GP and specialists to help protect your long-term vision.
Children may not always recognise or explain changes to their vision. Parents and carers can watch for signs such as rubbing their eyes, squinting, sitting unusually close to screens, or avoiding reading and schoolwork.
If your child is undergoing treatment or has recently completed treatment, discuss any visual concerns with both your medical team and your optometrist.
Balancing treatment with everyday responsibilities can place extra demands on your eyes.
If you spend long hours reading, working on a computer or using digital devices, consider:
Even small changes can make prolonged visual tasks more comfortable.
As we age, the risk of common eye conditions naturally increases. When combined with cancer treatment, it’s especially important not to assume that every change in vision is simply “part of getting older.”
Routine eye examinations can help distinguish normal age-related changes from symptoms that may require further assessment.
Looking after your eyes doesn’t need to be complicated. Small habits can make a noticeable difference.
Daffodil Day is a reminder that good health is about more than treating illness—it’s also about supporting quality of life throughout the journey.
Whether you’re currently undergoing treatment, recovering, supporting someone you care about, or simply making your own health a priority, regular eye examinations can play an important role in protecting your vision.
At Island Optical, we’re proud to support our local community with trusted advice, quality eyewear, and access to independent tenant optometrists providing comprehensive, bulk billed eye examinations. If you’ve noticed changes to your vision, or it’s simply time for your regular check-up, book an eye test and have a conversation about your eye health.
