Rare eye cancer in children rising in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A rare eye cancer in children has been rampant in various parts of the country, as Al-Shifa Eye Trust Hospital, Rawalpindi alone has documented 1600 pediatric eye cancer incidences in one year.

Four hundred children with eye cancer were successfully treated at the hospital during the period.

Pediatric Oncologist of Al-Shifa, Dr. Tanzeela Farah said every stage, from evaluation to chemotherapy, was carried out under one roof at the hospital and the facility was exclusive to it.

Talking to the media on Friday, she said the eye cancer centre had 1600 youngsters registered and that as more people become aware of the significance of the issue, the number of patients was rising.

Pakistan is seeing an alarming rise in pediatric eye cancer cases when compared to other nations of the region, she reminded.

The doctor said the occurrence of eye cancer needs early detection, diagnosis, and proper treatment and revealed that almost 30 percent of the patients were children, which was a big challenge.

She said timely detection could save a child’s sight. However, in case of failure to consult an expert, most eye cancer patients may suffer vision loss or loss of an eye, or it may prove fatal in some cases.

She said treatment of eye cancer was a lengthy and very costly process. Still, Al-Shifa is determined to treat poor patients free of charge with the help of experts and the latest apparatus.

After chemotherapy, follow-up sessions continue every six months; the patients are observed for 5 to 7 years, she said, adding that eye cancer was sometimes diagnosed at birth and that we are fully equipped to treat children from zero to 15 years old.

Dr Tanzeela Farah said most of the children who had eye cancer belonged to low-income families living in remote areas, and their parents were unaware of the specialised facilities needed to provide proper treatment.

The eye cancer needs more time and effort to be treated, she said. Trust chief Maj Gen Rehmat Khan (retd) has announced expanding the area of the services of the trust that has set up a chain of five eye hospitals of international standard in the last three decades, including those in Rawalpindi, Kohat, Sukkur, Muzaffarabad, and Chakwal.

Al-Shifa Rawalpindi was Asia’s biggest children’s eye hospital. At its Rawalpindi location, Al-Shifa Trust also manages the largest children’s eye facility in Asia. Professor Dr. Nadeem Qureshi, chief of department of vitreo-retina, told the media that his department provided specialized care for retinal pathologies.

Retinal diseases, such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, age related macular diseases (AMD), complex retinal detachment, retinal vascular diseases and posterior segment trauma are also on increase. Its treatment facilities are being provided in the trust hospitals. General Rehmat has succeeded late Lt. Gen. Haimd Javed who replaced the late founder Lt. Gen (retd) General Jehandad Khan.