Would I have to give up photography and sell all my equipment??? I was recently diagnosed via biopsy with basal cell skin cancer between my nose and my camera eye (left). I had an MRI...

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

I was recently diagnosed via biopsy with basal cell skin cancer between my nose and my camera eye (left). I had an MRI yesterday and will get the result (probably) on Tuesday when I see the dermatologist who will do Mohs surgery, tentatively scheduled for early next month. If the worst scenario occurs, how will I continue taking pictures? I tried to look through my right eye as an experiment and it just seemed too weird.

Frank T Loc: New York, NY

planepics wrote:

I was recently diagnosed via biopsy with basal cell skin cancer between my nose and my camera eye (left). I had an MRI yesterday and will get the result (probably) on Tuesday when I see the dermatologist who will do Mohs surgery, tentatively scheduled for early next month. If the worst scenario occurs, how will I continue taking pictures? I tried to look through my right eye as an experiment and it just seemed too weird.

It's weird now because your not accustomed to it.
Keep doing it and your body will adjust.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Get a camera with good rear screen

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

I am naturally left-eyed, and cameras seem to be designed for the right eye. On the Nikon mirrorless I turn off the touch screens, but the Z50 has touch controls for zoom which stay on even after turning the screen off, and I am constantly bumping the zoom with my nose. Not a problem on the Z8 which has real buttons, but I have tried to switch and it's very much like being right handed and trying to throw a ball with your left. "Clumsy" might be one way to describe it...

I guess it is possible to adapt if you have no other choice.

MJPerini

I would say, first concentrate on getting better. As scary as a diagnosis like that is, wait for results and talk to your doctor face to face. I'll be the news will be better than all the concerns running through your head.
Not a chance you will have to give up photography. There will be a solution for that , tend to the important stuff first.

Sincere best wishes for a quick and happy recovery

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

MJPerini wrote:

I would say, first concentrate on getting better. As scary as a diagnosis like that is, wait for results and talk to your doctor face to face. I'll be the news will be better than all the concerns running through your head.
Not a chance you will have to give up photography. There will be a solution for that , tend to the important stuff first.

Sincere best wishes for a quick and happy recovery

I agree and hope that you do well.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The kids can use cameras without holding their eye to the viewfinder, bet you can too, if the right isn't an option.

Jimscaf2021 Loc: Central Valley, CA

I had the same thing 20+ years ago I had a bandage on for a couple weeks and my scar healed so if your dermatologist does a good job you'll have a scar but not very noticeable as mine did and full use/vision.
Good luck

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

My bet is that you'll be back at your viewfinder within a week after the Mohs. Non-trivial, to be sure, but very unlikely to be catastrophic. I had a Mohs on an eyelid, and they had to take some skin from the other eyelid to repair the Mohs site; now, nobody can tell anything was done. No change in using either eye for photography.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

Sell your equipment, consider a Samsung S23 Ultra cell phone. Five lens, big bright screen, plenty of memory, lots of controls if you wish, great pictures, decent PP tools, can load directly to Facebook or other social media and it even has phone calls, emails & text messages built in. For first time ever in 60 years, I used as my primary camera on 5 country trip last month, my now back-up camera stayed in locked up safe.

jcboy3

planepics wrote:

I was recently diagnosed via biopsy with basal cell skin cancer between my nose and my camera eye (left). I had an MRI yesterday and will get the result (probably) on Tuesday when I see the dermatologist who will do Mohs surgery, tentatively scheduled for early next month. If the worst scenario occurs, how will I continue taking pictures? I tried to look through my right eye as an experiment and it just seemed too weird.

What is the worst case scenario? Do you lose vision in your left eye?

You can get used to using your right eye; this will be necessary if you do lose vision in your left eye.

If it's just temporary, then use the rear LCD screen. You can get a shade to help with visibility. Or get a hood.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Don't jump the gun....
You won't know of any limitations until after it is all completed and healed.
Be patient and see what happens.
Adjust, if necessary, then.

BebuLamar

I am right eye but I can use the left eye just fine. Only of course cameras were designed for right eye people so after you get used to it, it could be better.
Or you can use the screen instead the eyelevel viewfinder.

alphadog

FORTUNATELY, this is not an uncommon diagnosis for skin cancer, one of the LEAST dangerous, likely the Mohs procedure will remove any trace... there should be NO issues with your eye, the ONLY issue is YOU can not get an X-ray treatment procedure IF the lesion is too close to the eye, so anything less than X-ray should leave you well... the biopsy actually removed my cancer, BUTT the MD insisted on doing the procedure anyway and on the first slice came back NEGATIVE. good luck with your procedure...

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

I agree with a couple of the above comments. I’ve had a few scares about my health over the years, but generally found out they weren’t as serious as originally thought or there was a solution that has allowed me to live a pretty normal life. Hope everything goes well for you & allows you to continue what you enjoy.