Bhubaneswar: The city-based LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) organised Retinoblastoma week from May 12 to 19 for creating awareness regarding Retinoblastoma which is the most common type of eye cancer in children and occurs almost exclusively in young kids. As part of the global awareness drive, staff of LVPEI Bhubaneswar organised various educational and awareness programmes throughout the week. An interactive session between patients and Ocular Oncologist Devjyoti Tripathy held at MTC Campus, LVPEI Bhubaneswar, was the key event during the week.
As part of LVPEI’s approach for dissemination of information, Odisha based secondary centres at Rajgangpur, Rayagada, Berhampur and Keonjhar held several awareness workshops. The community outreach staff educated the public on RB awareness on their community visits and specifically connected with the Anganwadi workers in this process.
Retinoblastoma (RB) is a rare form of cancer that rapidly develops from the immature cells of a retina, which is the light-detecting tissue of the eye. It is the most common malignant cancer of the eye among children, almost exclusively found in young children. It is among the top five cancers in children in India and survival rates continue to be significantly lower compared to the more developed countries. Importantly, retinoblastoma is highly curable if detected and treated at the right time. If any of the tell-tale signs are noticed, one can seek expert opinion.