Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a rare form of cancer.  It is almost exclusively found in young children.  The pupil appears white or pink in a flash photo.   It starts in the cells of the retina.  The special nerve cells that are sensitive to light.  The nerve cells develop genetic mutations that cause the cells to continue to grow and multiply when healthy cells would die.  The whiteness reflected in the pupil of the baby's eyes is called Leukoconia.  One or both eyes may also turn in or outward as a result of poor vision.  This is called lazy eye or strasbismus which is characterized by mild weakness of the eye muscles.  The retinoblastoma is treated by removal of the tumor.  Other less common signs are: eye pain, vision problems, redness in the white of the eye and the pupil doesn't get smaller when exposed to bright light.  The eyes might also have different colour iris's.  It is very important for children to have their eyes check annually by an Optometrist.  The eye examination is covered by Saskatchewan Health yearly.   If you see any of these symptoms please see your Optometrist immediately!