White glow in eye

[Emilyjayne33]

Hi all.
My daughter is 3 and yesterday, she was mucking about and I was videoing her with the flash on, which I never use.
Upon watching it back I noticed that during the part where she turned, her left eye had a white glow.
Now, I've read about white glow in children before so naturally freaked out.
I'm waiting for the opticians to call me back with an appointment.
Could this just be from the angle.
My husband thinks Im worrying over nothing and it's just the flash and the angle.
Wanted other people's thoughts on this...I've taken some more pics since with flash but not really noticed it again...

Hi, you’re doing the right thing getting it checked out but hopefully just an angle thing. My son had a similar picture years ago and when I took some more it had gone. He’s fine 🙂

It could be light shining off of her optic nerve or it could be a sign that something needs attention. It's very wise to get this checked out.

You are doing the right thing. I had a relative who had a child with retinoblastoma. Years later I took a photo of my child and the same white circle appeared in my child’s eye , in a panic I had her checked by an optician and everything was fine. So, the chances are probably higher that everything will be fine.

Is it like this in every photo?

Yes definitely get it checked. It might be nothing but it needs checking.

It’s odds on it’s absolutely nothing, but you’re right to have it checked

Could you retake another photo with flash - maybe from a new angle and see?

Just while you are waiting to get it checked out - which is definitely the right thing to do.

Sorry, just spotted that you've already done that.

Hopefully it's just an angle thing then.

Hi all.
Thanks for your replies.
She was seen urgently this morning but they couldn't check properly as she was kicking off. (Stressful!)
They've done an urgent referral to the hospital anyway because of the photo alone. So I'm glad they are checking her properly.
They said it could be a 4 week wait...which seems a long time for urgent but as she has no other symptoms (except random complaints of headaches which don't stop her from doing anything), they said she's OK to wait.
So anyway. I guess we sit and wait for an appointment.
Will update when we know more.
Appreciate you taking time out to comment xx

Hi.
No. I can't seem to get it to happen again...x

@Emilyjayne33 that's reassuring. My son has an eye problem (not retinoblastoma, thankfully, but a congenital cataract) and he also had a white pupil. I was told that if it was retinoblastoma it wouldn't just show up in one photo. It's highly likely it's the light reflecting off the optic nerve due to the angle. X

Do you mind me asking what he has?
That's helpful to know. Thank you.
X

@Emilyjayne33 he was born with a cataract in one eye. It didn’t show up as a white glow in photos, though. It was like a hazy white when you looked at his pupil in person. X

Hi @Emilyjayne33

Well done for getting your DD seen so quickly. If you want to talk to anyone about possible retinoblastoma, please call the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT) on 020 7377 5578. It’s open Monday to Friday during office hours, but information is available on the charity’s website at www.chect.org.uk . CHECT’s Support Workers will gladly have a chat with anyone who has any concerns about retinoblastoma - they don’t have to already have a diagnosis. They may also be able to suggest how to speed up your DD’s referral, as NICE guidelines recommend an urgent referral time within two weeks if retinoblastoma is suspected.

Please note that I am not medical in any way, but have a connection with the charity and they would be very glad to help.

Also please don’t be frightened by my post - but I noticed that others have mentioned retinoblastoma already.

Thank you so much.
I am concerned by the wait being 4 weeks even for an urgent referral so I am looking at what I can do, to get her seen quicker.
I appreciate your reply.
Honestly, as soon as I saw it, I freaked out.
She had drops to dilate her pupils yesterday and over 30 hours later. The one is still dilated. So the opticians want to see her tomorrow if it still hasn't returned to normal as usually its only 24hours to wear off.
X

Hi how did you get on? Hope all is well @Emilyjayne33 x

Definitely right to get it checked..... I took a similar photo of my niece when she was little and my sister did the same as you and got her into an emergency opticians who wasn't sure either way so referred her to the hospital. The wait was excruciating but not as long as the optician had said it would be and after hospital tests everything was ruled out. The hospital told me sister that it was reasonably common to get these images because of improvements in flash technology but because of the risks it's always best to have things checked out even though more often than not it's just a funny angle/fluke in the image. My niece is 15 now and no ongoing concerns with her eyes.

My daughter had the same a few months ago so I took her to the optician. They did a full check including scans behind the eye, red reflex test. Said all was fine not to worry.

she just failed her school eye test though, In that eye, so I’m panicking. We’ve been referred to the community optometrist (opticians) and I’ll mention it again but it’s not got a few weeks.

Hi all.

I took my daughter to her hospital appointment 2 weeks ago (sorry. I forgot to update you all).
Anyway. She royally kicked off again. Wouldn't let them put the drops In or let the consultant look!! After 2 hours of me pleading with her, he managed to have a quick look.
He said what he suspects caused the white glow on the photo is the flash reflecting off the optic nerve.
He couldn't see anything that concerned him however because she was really fighting us, he wants her to come back in 2 weeks so he can have another look.
This time they've given me the drops to do prior to her appointment in hope that doesn't distress her too much and it can be a quick in and out appointment.

I'll update again after the next and hopefully final appointment.

Thanks for all your replies xxx