What Is Mohs Surgery?

Mohs surgery is a procedure used to remove skin cancer. Because the surgery removes only tissue with cancer cells, it is commonly used on areas of the body where it is important to minimize the removal of healthy tissue. For the eye area, Mohs surgery removes basal cell and squamous cell cancers found on the eyelids or around the eyes.

Basal cell cancers are the most common type of skin cancer. Basal cell cancers grow in the deepest layer of the skin. They are almost always caused by exposure to sunlight. Squamous cell cancers are the second most common type of skin cancer. They grow just below the outer layer of the skin. Both basal cell and squamous cell cancers are best treated when detected early.

Mohs surgery is also sometimes used to remove melanoma, a more aggressive form of skin cancer. But melanoma is more commonly found inside the eye than on the eyelid.