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.
Causes
- Cataract
- Retinoblastoma
- Retrolental Fibroplasia
- Coats disease, persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous or persistence of the fetal vasculature
- Ocular toxocariasis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Warburg syndrome
- Extensive myelination of nerve fibers with myopia
