Leukocoria (also white pupillary reflex) is an abnormal white reflection from the

retina The retina (; or retinas) is the innermost, photosensitivity, light-sensitive layer of tissue (biology), tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some Mollusca, molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focus (optics), focused two-dimensional ...

of the eye. Leukocoria resembles

eyeshine The ; ; : tapeta lucida) is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrates and some other animals. Lying immediately behind the retina, it is a retroreflector. It Reflection (physics), reflects visible light back through the retina, increas ...

, but leukocoria can also occur in animals that lack eyeshine because their retina lacks a ''

tapetum lucidum The ; ; : tapeta lucida) is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrates and some other animals. Lying immediately behind the retina, it is a retroreflector. It Reflection (physics), reflects visible light back through the retina, increas ...

''. Leukocoria is a

medical sign Signs and symptoms are diagnostic indications of an illness, injury, or condition. Signs are objective and externally observable; symptoms are a person's reported subjective experiences. A sign for example may be a higher or lower temperature ...

for a number of conditions, including

Coats disease Coats' disease is a rare congenital, nonhereditary eye disorder, causing full or partial blindness, characterized by abnormal development of blood vessels behind the retina. Coats' disease can also fall under glaucoma. It can have a similar pre ...

congenital cataract Congenital cataracts are a lens opacity that is present at birth. Congenital cataracts occur in a broad range of severity. Some lens opacities do not progress and are visually insignificant, others can produce profound visual impairment. Cong ...

, corneal scarring,

melanoma Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer; it develops from the melanin-producing cells known as melanocytes. It typically occurs in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye (uveal melanoma). In very rare case ...

of the

ciliary body The ciliary body is a part of the eye that includes the ciliary muscle, which controls the shape of the lens, and the ciliary epithelium, which produces the aqueous humor. The aqueous humor is produced in the non-pigmented portion of the ciliary ...

Norrie disease Norrie disease is a rare X-linked recessive genetic disorder that primarily affects the eyes and almost always leads to blindness. It is caused by mutations in the Norrin cystine knot growth factor gene, also referred to as Norrie Disease Pseudog ...

, ocular

toxocariasis Toxocariasis is an illness of humans caused by the dog roundworm ('' Toxocara canis'') and, less frequently, the cat roundworm ('' Toxocara cati'').https://academic.oup.com/ajcp/article/142/suppl_1/A104/1771175 Eosinophilic Pseudoleukemia Due to ...

, persistence of the tunica vasculosa lentis (PFV/PHPV),

retinoblastoma Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a rare form of cancer that rapidly develops from the immature cells of a retina, the light-detecting tissue of the eye. It is the most common primary malignant intraocular cancer in children, and 80% of retinoblastoma cas ...

, and

retrolental fibroplasia Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), also called retrolental fibroplasia (RLF) and Terry syndrome, is a disease of the eye affecting prematurely born babies generally having received neonatal intensive care, in which oxygen therapy is used because ...

. Because of the potentially life-threatening nature of

, a

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

, that condition is usually considered in the evaluation of leukocoria. In some rare cases (1%) the leukocoria is caused by

Coats' disease Coats' disease is a rare congenital, nonhereditary eye disorder, causing full or partial blindness, characterized by abnormal development of blood vessels behind the retina. Coats' disease can also fall under glaucoma. It can have a similar p ...

(leaking retinal vessels).

Diagnosis

On photographs taken using a

flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * The Flash, several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Barry Allen ** Wally West, the first Kid Flash and third adult Flash ...

, instead of the familiar

red-eye effect The red-eye effect in photography is the common appearance of red pupils in color photographs of eyes. It occurs when using a photographic flash at low lighting or at night. When a flash passes through the eyes and rebounds at the back of the ...

, leukocoria can cause a bright white reflection in an affected eye. Leukocoria may appear also in low indirect light, similar to eyeshine. Leukocoria can be detected by a routine eye exam (see

Ophthalmoscopy Ophthalmoscopy, also called funduscopy, is a test that allows a health professional to see inside the fundus of the eye and other structures using an ophthalmoscope (or funduscope). It is done as part of an eye examination and may be done as part ...

). For screening purposes, the

red reflex The red reflex (also called the fundal reflex) refers to the reddish-orange reflection of light from the back of the eye, or fundus, observed when using an ophthalmoscope or retinoscope. The red reflex may be absent or poorly visible in people ...

test is used. In this test, when a light is shone briefly through the

pupil The pupil is a hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to strike the retina.Cassin, B. and Solomon, S. (1990) ''Dictionary of Eye Terminology''. Gainesville, Florida: Triad Publishing Company. It appears black becau ...

, an orange red reflection is normal. A white reflection is leukocoria. Image:Fundus photograph-normal retina EDA06.JPG, A normal human fundus Image:Fundus retinoblastoma.jpg, A fundus with retinoblastoma

Society

* The fictional serial killer known as "The Collector", the main antagonist of the films ''

The Collector ''The Collector'' is a 1963 thriller novel by English author John Fowles, in his literary debut. Its plot follows a lonely young man who kidnaps a female art student in London and holds her captive in the cellar of his rural farmhouse. Divided ...

'' (2009) and '' The Collection'' (2012), had the condition in both eyes. (confirmed by first movie actor Juan Fernández de Alarcon)

References

External links

{{Eye pathology Eye diseases Medical signs