02/03/2025
A few years ago, I met a woman who came to
the eye clinic with her 2-year-old son.
What brought us together was that the child
had a high temperature, and all she had done
was administer paracetamol. To cut a long
story short, her 2-year-old son was diagnosed
with an eye condition called retinoblastoma.
The woman, didn't go to school, and so she couldn't
fully understand the implications of the
diagnosis. This made it difficult for the
ophthalmologist to explain the condition to her.
She was advised to take her son for Surgery to
remove the eye that was affected followed by
chemotherapy to shrink the tumours that couldn't be removed by surgery.
On hearing that her son's eye had to be
removed, she cried bitterly and there was no way I could console her.
To make matters worse, she had no money, and there was no help available to her.
Months later, she called to inform me that she
had lost her son. Cold shivers ran down my spine as I heard the news.
Retinoblastoma is a cancer of the retina, the
light-sensitive area of the eye responsible for
detecting light and sending visual images to
the brain. It's a serious medical condition that
should never be taken lightly, as it can progress
aggressively and even lead to deat if not treated promptly.
One of the typical signs of retinoblastoma is
what we call the cat-eye reflex (leukocoria),
where the pupil appears white or reflective
when light is shined into the eye. This is a
warning sign that should not be ignored.
Retinoblastoma occurs in families that has a history of cancer.
So it's a genetic/ hereditary condition.
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©️Dr Prince
Optometrist //Writer
I help Patients achieve Optimal Eye Health and Vision.