“A doctor can easily diagnose a tumor of children age only by seeing a photograph.”

That’s right.

When a flash photo of a human being is taken, the light will reflect from their eyes in such a way as to cause “red eye”, reflection of blood vessels which are red. However, in a child with an eye tumor, the light will reflect back like a cat’s eye, this “white reflection” is known as “white reflex”. This is actually due to the destruction of the blood vessels in the eye.

So next time if you ever see a photograph like the one shown here; let the person know to see a doctor.

Causes

  1. Cataract
  2. Retinoblastoma
  3. Retrolental Fibroplasia
  4. Coats disease, persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous or persistence of the fetal vasculature
  5. Ocular toxocariasis
  6. Toxoplasmosis
  7. Warburg syndrome
  8. Extensive myelination of nerve fibers with myopia

For more information visit: Medicalopedia Reference Encyclopedia