Free Eye Exam to Detect Retinoblastoma in Babies

In some of these posts, I’ve vented my frustrations about retinoblastoma not being taken seriously by medical specialists because it is so rare.

In response to this, James Spangler sent me a comment that attracted my attention. He is part of a public health program in America that recognises the need for comprehensive eye examinations for all babies in the early stages of their lives. These exams are free of charge and are carried out by members of the American Optometric Association. As well as other eye conditions and vision problems, these tests pick up retinoblastoma.

I went and had a look at the website InfantSEE and was really impressed with what I found there. There is a lot of easily accessible information for parents and medical professionals on eye care and vision. What struck me most was a couple of sentences on their home page which highlighted the ease of identifying significant developmental stages in a baby - such as sitting up, making different sounds - compared with the ability to recognise visual growth stages. How many of us know that vision, too, goes through developmental stages? Apart from the normal indicator of seeing a baby focus on you after six weeks or so, I don’t think many of us think about what else happens with the eyes. And such development isn’t easy to track without the use of specialised tools.

I also didn’t know that although paediatricians conduct eye examinations, they don’t have the relevant equipment or tools to detect all eye conditions.

InfantSEE has been providing this service since 2005 and the recognition of its worth is growing. Thanks, James, for letting me know about it. Maybe something similar can happen in Australia.

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