Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma - How to prevent?

A child should be referred to us for early review if parents notice features suggestive of retinoblastoma as mentioned previously. Although retinoblastoma cannot be prevented per se, most patients with retinoblastoma can be cured if diagnosed and treated early.

Retinoblastoma may be hereditable in 40% of cases, so any individual with a positive family history of retinoblastoma may want to seek genetic counselling to identify the risks of passing the gene or disease to their children.

If found to be at increased risk of heritable retinoblastoma, it is advisable that the child undergoes regular eye examination, frequency of which depends on the age and personal and/or family history of retinoblastoma. Lifestyle modifications, such as avoiding unnecessary radiation exposure (including X-Rays, CT scans and external beam radiation) and smoking (including secondhand smoke) is preferable.