Retinoblastoma Clinic

The Retinoblastoma (RB) clinic was launched in March 2020, just before the pandemic. Our goal was to create a “one-stop service” for all our indigent retinoblastoma patients. Retinoblastoma management needs different specialty doctors for the whole course of their treatment.  Through this service, ophthalmologists, pediatric oncologists, pathologists, radio-oncologists, palliative medicine, as well as our finance assistance department, all work together to decrease the burden of treatment from our retinoblastoma patients and their families.

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular cancer in children. This childhood cancer can be fatal, but early detection and treatment can save their eyes, and most especially their lives. Unfortunately, we see most patients in their advanced stages already. Our patients’ usual stories are struggles to travel from far-flung regions, no funds for treatment, no family to watch over the patient since parents need to work to afford their daily needs and lack of awareness of the disease.

The DOH Eye Center, being the National Specialty Center for Eye Health has become one of the few capable referral centers for retinoblastoma patients who come from different regions in the country.   We continue to make efforts to improve our management and make treatment more accessible to our patients.