RAWALPINDI: For hundreds of families bringing their children to Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, the biggest fear is not only cancer, but whether delayed treatment has reduced the chances of saving their child's eyesight and recovery. Doctors at the hospital's Cancer Unit said nearly 140 children treated over the past three years are now free of cancer, a milestone they described as significant in a country where childhood eye cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages.

According to Al-Shifa Trust, the hospital has registered 620 cancer patients and conducted 3,952 chemotherapy sessions since the unit became operational. Many patients came from low-income and rural families where awareness, transport costs, and delayed referrals remain major barriers to treatment.

Pediatric oncologist Dr. Tanzeela Farah highlighted the lack of recognition of early warning signs of eye cancer among parents, such as a white glow in a child's eye in photographs or poor eye contact. She advised parents to use a mobile phone torch to check for unusual white reflections in the pupil, which can indicate retinoblastoma, the most common eye cancer in children.

Doctors at the hospital also pointed out that cousin marriages can contribute to inherited eye diseases and some childhood cancers in Pakistan, where consanguineous marriages remain common. Studies indicate that many retinoblastoma patients reach hospitals in advanced stages due to delayed diagnosis, lack of awareness, and financial hardship.

Global data shows survival rates for retinoblastoma exceed 99% in high-income countries with early screening and specialised care, but can fall to nearly 50% in poorer countries because children arrive late for treatment. To reduce costs for poor families, Al-Shifa said it partnered with institutions including the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and Combined Military Hospital for diagnostic tests and radiotherapy support, providing several deserving patients with free radiotherapy.

For many families, doctors noted, timely treatment meant saving both eyesight and life. "Eye cancer in children is treatable," Dr. Tanzeela said. "The real danger is delayed diagnosis." Al-Shifa Trust operates seven hospitals across Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Kohat, Muzaffarabad, Chakwal, Gilgit, and Haveli Lakha, while constructing Asia's largest eye hospital in Lahore.