Latest news with #LVPEI
The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
LVPEI holds ‘Whitathon' run to create awareness on Retinoblastoma
The L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) organised the seventh edition of 'Whitathon' on Sunday, May 25, to raise awareness about the early detection of Retinoblastoma (a rare eye cancer) in children and its treatment. The event was held in commemoration of World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week, observed earlier this month. The run was flagged off at the Kali Mandir on the Beach Road, Visakhapatnam. Dr. Suneetha G, adjunct ophthalmologist at LVPEI's GMR Varalakshmi campus, emphasised the importance of creating awareness and educating young parents about the symptoms of Retinoblastoma and elaborated, 'It is crucial to recognise the symptoms. If a white reflex is seen in a child's eye, one should immediately get it examined by an eye specialist. Early detection and treatment can save the child's life, eye, and vision.' Retinoblastoma primarily affects children under three years of age. Loss of the 'RB1 gene'—a' tumour suppressor gene, whose function is to stop cells from turning cancerous—is a major cause. Symptoms include a yellowish-white glow that appears in the pupil (the black part) of a child's eye when light is shone on it, especially in photos taken with a flash. Other symptoms include poor vision, redness of the eyes, and squinting. The treatment usually involves multiple procedures and surgeries, with close monitoring over several months. Dr. Virendra Sachdeva, Head GMR Varalakshmi campus, urged participants to spread awareness about the symptoms of Retinoblastoma. Funds from the Whitathon run will be utilised to provide free treatment to underprivileged children suffering from Retinoblastoma and for future research. This year's event saw over 450 participants. LVPEI has provided over 3,000 free treatments to date. Annually, the institute treats 150 to 200 new cases of Retinoblastoma and has managed to save the life of a child in 90% of cases. 'However, we could save the vision of only 45% of these cases while 55% lost their vision because of late presentation,' said a representative of the group. While eye cancer is rare, it can be life-threatening and lead to permanent loss of vision or even eye enucleation (removal of the eye) if not detected early. Unfortunately, lack of awareness leads to many cases being diagnosed only at an advanced stage, when treatment options become limited.
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Over 1,500 join ‘Whitathon' walk for childhood eye cancer awareness
The L. V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) hosted the seventh edition of its annual 'Whitathon' walk on Sunday, drawing over 1,500 participants to raise awareness about the early detection of Retinoblastoma, an aggressive eye cancer affecting children, and to mobilise funds for its treatment. The event, organised in observance of World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week (May 11 to 17), was flagged off at T-Works, Raidurgam by Y Nagi Reddy, Director General of Disaster Response and Fire Services, Telangana. He was joined by Prashant Garg, executive chairman of LVPEI, and Vijay Anand Reddy, director of Apollo Cancer Hospital. Proceeds from the run will go towards providing free treatment to underprivileged children diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, as well as supporting ongoing research in the field, said a release.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Early treatment of lazy eye key for ‘bright' furture
Hyderabad: A recent study, jointly conducted by the doctors of the LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) and Queensland University in Australia, found that the adverse effects of lazy eye ( amblyopia ) and squint (strabismus) can persist into adulthood if not treated early. Typically considered paediatric conditions that develop in early childhood, these issues affect a patient's reading ability, motor skills, quality of life, and more. Doctors warn that these conditions can also lead to psychological impacts, including low self-esteem, reduced confidence, increased anxiety, and depression. The study was conducted to determine the extent of the effect of these two conditions on the patients. Researchers pointed out that the existing clinical establishments for lazy eye and squinting were insufficient to fully evaluate their effects on a patient's reading proficiency and driving ability. Titled 'Fine Motor Skills, Reading Speed, and Self-Reported Quality of Life in Adults with Amblyopia and/or Strabismus', the study was published in an online journal, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Just two years old and diagnosed with cancer—help save her! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo In case of lazy eye, a person's eye does not develop regular vision during early childhood. Doctors explain that the condition arises from defects in the way information is transmitted from the eye to the brain. As a result, the brain relies more on the healthy eye, causing the affected eye to be neglected and ultimately impaired. The study included 95 participants, aged 18 to 40, from the LVPEI's Bhubaneswar centre. These included 23 adults with a lazy eye, 20 with a squint, and 52 with both amblyopia and strabismus. None of the participants had any prior ocular (eye) or neurological disorders. Another 19 individuals with normal vision were included to set up a comparison. After conducting various tests on participant's motor skills and reading proficiency, doctors found that all the participants with a lazy eye, squint, or both performed 'below average' or 'well below average' in comparison to those with normal vision. A 2023 survey, conducted by the institutue on the school-going children (4 to 15 years) in Telangana, found that of the 7.74 lakh children who were screened, around 9,000 (1.16%) suffered from visual impairment. At present, the state implements Union govt-sponsored National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) to support visually impaired people. Dr Debasmita Majhi, Consultant Ophthalmologist, LVPEI, said, "The lazy eye usually manifests during childhood. It often develops into a squint, which is misaligned, pointing inwards or outwards. But both conditions can also exist independently." "The reading speed of those with lazy eyes and/or squint was also significantly slower. Most participants say that the inability to see with both eyes (low binocular function) is their biggest hindrance. Strabismus (squint) was also found to be a predominant reason for the affected people to have low confidence," said Dr Vivek Warkad, Consultant Pediatric, Strabismus, LVPEI. Doctors stressed that a early diagnosis and treatment of lazy eye during childhood are critical, as untreated conditions can have lifelong consequences.
