About Retinoblastoma

About retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a type of eye cancer that affects young children, mainly under the age of six. It develops in the cells of the retina, the light sensitive lining of the eye. Around 40-50 cases are diagnosed in the UK every year – approximately one child a week. Retinoblastoma can either affect one or both eyes.

Retinoblastoma has one of the best survival rates of all the childhood cancers. In the UK, around 98 per cent of children will survive but early diagnosis is really important. If you see one or more of the signs of retinoblastoma, be sure to get your child’s eyes checked urgently just to be safe.

Signs and symptoms of retinoblastoma

Spotting one of the signs or symptoms of retinoblastoma can be really worrying for any parent or relative. Do remember that retinoblastoma is rare and that all of these symptoms can be caused by other things, but it’s always best to have your child’s eyes checked out by a health professional as soon as possible.

Retinoblastoma treatment

There are a number of different treatment options for retinoblastoma, depending on a child’s individual needs. If your child has been recently diagnosed, your consultant will discuss this with you fully. Options include:

– Cryotherapy

– Laser

– Chemotherapy

– Enucleation