Symptoms of retinoblastoma

The signs or symptoms of retinoblastoma include:

  • a white reflection or glare in a child’s pupil when exposed to light, such as in a photograph taken with a flash (called leukocoria or cat’s eye reflex)
  • eyes that are crossed or do not appear to look in the same direction (called strabismus)
  • redness and inflammation of the white part of the eye
  • blurred vision
  • eye pain
  • squinting
  • an enlarged eyeball
  • bulging of the eye out of the eye socket (called proptosis)
  • 2 different coloured irises (called heterochromia)
  • increased pressure in the eye (called glaucoma) that can lead to blindness

Expert review and references

  • American Society of Clinical Oncology. Retinoblastoma - Childhood. 2015.
  • Children's Hospital Boston. Retinoblastoma. Boston, MA: Children's Hospital Boston; 2017.
  • Dutton JJ, and Fowler AM . Cancer of the orbit: surgical management. Harrison LB, Sessions RB, & Hong WK. Head and Neck Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Approach. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009: 28: pp: 785-814.
  • Hendershot E . Retinoblastoma. Baggott C, Fochtman D, Foley GV, Patterson K (eds.). Nursing Care of Children and Adolescents with Cancer and Blood Disorders. 4th ed. APHON; 2011: 34: 1106-1120.
  • Imbach P . Retinoblastoma. Imbach P, Kuhne T, Arceci RJ (eds.). Pediatric Oncology: A Comprehensive Guide. 3rd ed. Cham, CH: Springer; 2014: 15: 173-180.
  • Isidro MA. Medscape Reference: Retinoblastoma Clinical Presentation. 2016.
  • National Cancer Institute. RetinoblastomaTreatment (PDQ®) Patient Version. 2016.
  • National Cancer Institute. Retinoblastoma Treatment (PDQ®) Health Professional Version. 2016.
  • Penn Medicine. All About Retinoblastoma. University of Pennsylvania; 2017.
  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Retinoblastoma. Memphis, TN: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; 2017.

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