Fun-filled day for children affected with Retinoblastoma

It was a fun-filled day for children affected with Retin­obla­st­oma, a cancer of the eye, at the ocular oncology department of the Sankara Eye Hospital, which had organised an event to mark “World Retin­o­blastoma Awar­ene­ss Week.” 

According to the hospital doctors, Retinoblastoma is known to affect one in 20,000 live births and is the third most common cancerous tumour affecting children and infants.

Dr P Mahesh Shanmugam, Head, Vitreoretinal Services and Ocular Oncology, Sankara Eye Foundation, India, said: “Retinoblastoma is an eye cancer that often presents as a white reflex in the pupil of the eye or as a squint. Early diagnosis can not only save vision, but also lives. Initially Retinoblasto­ma is confined to the eye. But, if left untreated, it may spread over to other parts of the body. The disease may result in loss of vision, eye, or even life of the affected child. Once diagnosed, the onus lies on saving the child’s life, eye and then the vision.”