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What Are the Symptoms of Retinoblastoma?

The condition of retinoblastoma is a cancer that affects the retina of the eye. The retina is the inner lining of your eye, and a cancer in this area can be very painful. The primary way that doctors use to diagnose this condition is with a very thorough eye examination. They may also use imaging tests such as CT scans for verification. Various forms of treatment are used including chemotherapy medication, radiation therapy or laser surgery on the eye.

  1. Photograph

    • Sometimes the symptoms of retinoblastoma can be seen in a photograph. If you notice a small white circle in the middle of the dark pupil of your eye in a picture taken using flash photography, then that little white circle could be a symptom of retinoblastoma. The light would need to reflect just right off that part of the eye for the spot to show up, but at the right angle you will see the white spot. Your doctor would see it while passing a light over your pupil during an examination.

    Strabismus

    • Strabismus is something that doctors use as a symptom of retinoblastoma and many other eye conditions. It is when the eyes do not seem aligned when they are looking at something. The left eye and the right eye may be looking at the same thing, but it may appear as though they are looking off into different directions. This condition is sometimes referred to as being cross-eyed.

    Eye Discomfort

    • One of the more common symptoms of retinoblastoma is a pain around the eye. The area around the eye may seem red and swollen, and it can be uncomfortable to the touch. You may aggravate the symptom by constantly rubbing the affected area, but the discomfort may make it difficult to leave the affected area alone.

    Iris Color

    • Some of the symptoms of retinoblastoma can take a while to develop, but once they do they can be very noticeable. One symptom that can take some time to develop is a change in the color of the iris. Your eye color is determined by the color of the iris, and an advancing case of retinoblastoma may cause one iris to change color and look different than the other iris.

    Vision Problems

    • Vision problems can also be symptoms of retinoblastoma. You may begin to experience blurred vision, or double vision as a result of your symptoms. These vision problems occur unexpectedly, and can remain for hours or days.

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