What’s wrong with your baby’s white pupils?

  Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in infants and children, and can metastasize to the brain and other life-threatening conditions. n The incidence is about 1:20,000. n 90% of cases develop before the age of 3 years, mostly in one eye, and about 30% in both eyes.  Etiology: The exact cause is unknown, but it is generally believed to be related to genetics, chromosomal aberrations, viruses, etc.  Clinical manifestations: There may be no early manifestations, and the diagnosis is often made when parents find that the child’s pupils are white and bring the child to the hospital for examination. Retinoblastoma may manifest as strabismus, and in the advanced stage, there may be redness and pain in the eyes.  Examination: Based on clinical manifestations, ultrasound, CT, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can basically confirm the diagnosis.  Treatment: Life saving first, eye and vision are considered later. In the past, RB was found to only remove the eye, which could save life but would cause serious defects in facial appearance. At present, domestic and foreign experts advocate eye-preserving treatment. Depending on the size and stage of the tumor, treatment such as condensation, laser, scleral surface dressing radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be used. Tumors detected at an early stage can not only preserve the eye, but may even preserve useful vision, so early detection is crucial to the treatment of RB!  Early diagnosis of RB: I diagnosed four cases of children with RB in my outpatient clinic in six months, all of which were advanced and quite distressing. Early diagnosis of RB depends on fundus examination, especially if the parents have a history of RB, and genetic counseling must be done before pregnancy. The first thing you need to do is to take your baby to the doctor as soon as possible.