| Ophthalmic
Plastic Surgery, Orbit And Ocular Oncology
Ocular Prosthesis Clinic
A precious life saved
Perhaps one of the worst nightmares for a parent would
be to discover that their firstborn baby cannot see. But they
can derive solace from the fact that their child’s life was saved. Little Rakshita was four months old when her parents
noticed that her eyes seemed yellow and discoloured. A
local ophthalmologist in Bangalore expressed his inability
to help and suggested that they seek more specialized
treatment.
Dinesh Patel and his wife did not realize the gravity of the situation and it was several months later that they brought her
to L V Prasad Eye Institute. The Ocular Oncology specialist discovered that the child had retinoblastoma in both her eyes.
A hereditary malignant tumor of the retina, the disease is transmitted as a dominant trait and occurs chiefly among
infants.
Unfortunately, it was too late to save her vision. A CT scan and bone marrow biopsy indicated that the child’s life was at risk
if the tumor (and the eyes) were not removed. The parents were reluctant to opt for surgery, fearing that it would mar the
baby’s appearance. But a visit to the ocularistry services convinced them the child would look ‘normal’, with the help of
ocular prosthesis. Rakshita underwent an operation to remove the tumor in both her eyes followed by a series of
chemotherapy sessions. She coped with the treatment well. She was referred for customized ocular prosthesis and,
within a day, she was fitted with life-like artificial eyes.
An alert and active child, Rakshita is the apple of her parents’ eyes. The only child in a joint family, she can sense and
recognize family members and find her way around the house. Her parents have been counselled to bring her to the
rehabilitation department so that little Rakshita can learn how to cope with her visual impairment and grow into a
confident young girl.
The Ocular Prosthesis Clinic has created custom-made artificial eyes for babies as young as 13 days; the oldest patient
to date was 97 years old. 
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