Ocular Tumour Diagnosis and Care in Imo State
Tumours can grow on the eyelid, on the surface of the eye, inside the eye or in the orbit, the bony socket that holds the eye. Some are harmless; others are dangerous to sight and, in certain cases, to life. What matters most is that any new growth or change around the eye is examined rather than watched.
A white pupil in a child is an emergency
If a child’s pupil shows a white or yellowish reflection, often first noticed in a photograph taken with flash, bring the child to an eye hospital immediately.
This can be a sign of retinoblastoma, a cancer of the retina that occurs in young children. Retinoblastoma is treatable, and children survive it, when it is caught early. Delay is what costs children their sight and their lives. Other signs include a squint, a red or inflamed eye without infection, or an eye that appears to be enlarging.
This is not a symptom to observe for a few weeks. It is a same-week examination at the very latest.
Types of ocular tumour
- Eyelid tumours: including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, more common in older adults and in those with heavy sun exposure
- Ocular surface tumours: growths on the conjunctiva or cornea
- Retinoblastoma: a retinal cancer of early childhood
- Uveal melanoma: arising within the eye
- Orbital tumours: growing behind the eye, often pushing it forward
- Secondary tumours: spread to the eye from elsewhere in the body
- Benign growths: cysts and non-cancerous lumps, which are far more common than cancers
Signs to have examined
- A white reflection in the pupil, especially in a child
- A lump on the eyelid that grows, bleeds, ulcerates or does not heal
- Loss of eyelashes over a lump
- One eye protruding or appearing pushed forward
- A new squint in a child
- Persistent redness or swelling that does not respond to treatment
- Progressive loss of vision in one eye
- Double vision
- A pigmented spot on the eye that changes in size or colour
Diagnosis
Assessment begins with a full examination of the eye, the lids and the orbit, including examination of the retina after dilating the pupil. Imaging is used to establish the size and extent of a growth and whether structures behind the eye are involved. Where appropriate, a sample may be taken for laboratory examination to establish exactly what the growth is.
Reaching the right diagnosis quickly is what allows the right treatment to start.
Management
Treatment depends entirely on the type of tumour, its size and whether it has spread. Options include surgical removal, laser treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and, in advanced cases, removal of the eye to prevent spread.
Ocular oncology often requires a team: eye specialists working alongside paediatricians, oncologists and pathologists. Our role at St Joseph’s Eye Hospital is to examine, investigate, treat what can be treated here, and arrange prompt referral where specialist oncology care is needed. Our team will explain clearly what is involved at every stage.
Have it looked at
Most lumps around the eye turn out to be harmless. The few that are not depend entirely on early diagnosis. If you or your child has any of the signs above, arrange an examination at St Joseph’s Eye Hospital Mgbirichi.
Speak to our eye care team
Book an appointment at St Joseph’s Eye Hospital Mgbirichi, or call us to discuss your symptoms. We see patients from across Imo State and the South East.