Retinoblastoma in a child: symptoms, diagnosis, varieties of the disease

Retinoblastomas are malignant formations in children. They located on the retina. Relate to rare pathologies characteristic of patients under five years of age. In forty percent of cases, retinoblastoma is hereditary.

Retinoblastoma: types of childhood eye tumors

Specialists classify three varieties of retinoblastomas in children: 

• Trilateral retinoblastoma. It is characteristic of children with a hereditary form of the disease. It manifests itself in the development of a neuroblast tumor. The basis for the formation of neoplasms is undifferentiated nerve cells. Refers to rare forms of the disease;
• Genetic factors cause bilateral retinoblastoma. The virus spreads to two eyes; in 25% of cases, the cause of the occurrence is heredity. A child can inherit pathology from a parent who does not have signs of disease. Specialists identify oncology in infants under the age of one year;
• A lesion in one eye is characteristic of unilateral retinoblastoma.

Diagnosis, symptoms of the disease

Children suffering from retinoblastoma complain of the following symptoms: 

• Pain in the eyeball;
• The manifestation of strabismus, impaired motor functions of the eye;
• Redness of the eye, development of conjunctive erythema;
• Formation of an opaque, white area in the pupil caused by light reflection from the tumor surface;
• Decreased vision in the affected eye.

Modern methods allow you to quickly, accurately diagnose the disease in a child. For this, a thorough examination carried out, a survey of the patient, parents. The doctor forms a diagnostic plan. He suggests:

• computed tomography;
• Magnetic resonance imaging;
• Blood test;
• Conducting genetic tests;
• Fundus examination.

If there is information about the possible heredity of the disease, the examination carried out in several steps. This allows you to track the formation of tumors.

Treatment of oncological tumors of the eyes in children at Tel Aviv Medical Clinic

The largest medical center in Israel for many years has been studying, diagnosing, treating oncological diseases of the eyes in children. The clinic equipped with high-tech devices, innovative technologies that allow you to control every step during the operation with maximum accuracy. Experienced specialists have a vast wealth of knowledge in the field of pediatric oncology, ophthalmology.