Ophthalmologist looks to preserve the vision of children with eye cancer

April 15, 2010

Children who suffer from eye cancer experience some risks of permanent vision loss - sometimes the condition is not being treated quickly enough or physicians are not able to remove all of the problem areas. However, an ophthalmologist is working on a new procedure that will hopefully preserve the vision of children affected by eye cancer.

Dr J. William Harbour, who works at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been testing out a new procedure that he believes will allow children to keep their vision, which can sometimes occur when chemotherapy, freezing and laser treatments do not remove all of the tumors.

Harbour's method involves implanting radioactive discs into the children's eyes for three days and then removing them. The radioactive discs are used to fight off any remaining tumors that the other treatments may have missed.

"It gives us an option that may allow us to save the eyes of a young child," Harbour said.

Maintaining good eye health is crucial for developing children. According to the American Optometric Association, children should have their eyes checked every other year to ensure there are no underlying conditions.