Ocular involvement in Children with newly diagnosed leukemia

Abstract

AbstractBackground: Knowledge of ocular involvement in leukemia is important because the eye is the only site where involvement of nerves and blood vessels can be directly observed and eye symptoms may be the initial mode of presentation of the systemic illness or the first manifestation of relapse after remission – inducing chemotherapyObjective: To figure out the ophthalmologic complications of leukemia in a sample of children patients at a stage before the initiation of treatment.Methods: A total sample of 102 patients (aged between 1 and 15 years) with leukemia was studied. The sample was taken from the Maternal and Child hospital. All the children diagnosed as leukemia and admitted during the period from March 2002 through November 2003 were pooled and included in the study. Eye complications were checked through a complete ophthalmic examination.Results: Ocular lesion were seen in 50 (49 %) of patient with leukemia; 28 (27.4%) males and 22 (21.5%) females. . Eye changes were seen more in patients with acute lymphoid leukemia 43 (42.1%). Retinal changes were the most common pathology.Conclusion: Retinal lesions are the most common eye changes in leukemia especially in the acute lymphocytic type.