Hi all, what would you do? Get your LO one seen by a Dr / eye specialist? Hubby is freaking out bigtime. His Mum suffered for 17yrs from cancer, his Grandad had it too, both passed away within weeks of each other 3yrs ago. Its the one thing in life that upsets him more than anything else, he is terrified of getting it himself or one of us. he's never been so upset and now I am worried whether I should have even told him and just asked maybe my family for advice first?

Please help!
xxxxxxx

Hi Julie.
I hope everything is going well being a mother – I’ve seen a few of the pictures you’ve put up of Toby and he’s really gorgeous.

This might sound really paranoid and I don’t want to worry you unnecessarily in any way, but a few weeks ago I read an article about how the flash of a camera can show up problems with babies’ eyes. I noticed in the really beautiful picture of Toby with his red “Thing 1” jumpsuit on that his left pupil is reflected red in the flash. This is one of the symptoms they mention in the article.

I’m probably being totally over-cautious, and I’m sure it’s just a reflection of the photographer, or standard "red eye". I also realise that he has a red eye in no other photos but I’ve been thinking about it since I saw the picture and while I am sure it’s nothing, I thought it would be worse not to say anything.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1049618/Baby-saved-friend-spots-eye-cancer-clue-photograph-emailed-girls-mother.html

Right I had better get back to work! Toby is the kind of baby to make me feel broody! He’s so smiley!

I really, really hope you don't think this was inappropriate. I am really sorry if so. Hope everything is ok, like I said I’m sure it will be.

xxx

P.S. I don’t read the Mail! A friend sent it to me because her daughter had a problem with her eye and she was worried it might be this – fortunately it was nothing serious but best to know either way.

I thought it showed up white if it indicated a problem...i could be wrong though, do what you think is best, but ive had lots of piccies with red eye hun xxxx

well hunny i would be very greatful and take him to get checked ,wont do any harm to get his eyes checked out and im sure its nothing but better to be safe eh ..hth xxx

I'm a bit confused. In the article the cancer was picked up because the pupil was white not red. One of the symptoms is red eyes (doesn't say in photographs) or white pupils.

I'm not sure having not seen the photograph in question but it could just be the classic 'red eye' that appears in photographs.

Oh Joo your poor hubby!

I would take Tobes to the doctor just in case as it can't do any harm and will put both your minds at ease.

I'm sure its nothing though, Wills has red eye in some of our shots, its just one of those things I thought?

Let us know how you get on.

x

Just had a look at the pic hun, its similar in colour to the article so personally id take him up, no harm in getting him checked xxxx

awe hun that's so scary, I think I would get him checked over if only to save your husband's sanity. Maybe say a quick thanks to your friend, that didn't sound an easy email to write. I get some funny glares of red off my girls' eyes too, but certainly worth just having him checked over so you can relax and not worry.

xx

If it was me I would thank her for her concern and let her know that it is TOTALLY normal for babies to have one red eye in photo's, it's all do to with the reflexes in their eyes developing at different rates. If you are worried then of course you should see your doctor but I'm sure everything is fine hun. There was a thread about this before and someone explained it better than me, I'll see if I can find it for you.
xx

Ok, found it!! This is cut and pasted from an old BE post

"Hi mummy2grace. I am an Ophthalmic nurse and can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. What you are seeing in the picture is referred to as the red reflex and is a normal reaction to bright light. The anti-red eye isn't always good enough on cameras to get rid of it completely, especially in small babies.

I will try to explain but sorry if it doesn't sound too clear (still on maternity leave and havn't used the nursing part of my brain for over 12 months!!)

As we all know babies are born with quite poor vision this is due to the muscles in and around their eyes still being weak. Babies have to learn to use their eyes together (which is why a lot of babies appear to have a squint) to help them focus. The pupil is also made up of muscles which dilate and constrict according to light conditions, but in a baby this can be a liitle delayed while the muscles grow, strengthen and learn to work properly. When you shine a bright light into an adult eye it initially gets slightly bigger then reduces right down to stop too much light getting in. The anti red eye on cameras does an initial flash to make this happen then does another flash to take the photo by which time the pupil size is reduced and there is no red eye. With small babies sometimes this is still too quick and there eyes still havn't finished reacting to the first flash. The reason one eye looks so much worse is purely because of the angle she is looking it - just bad luck - you probably couldn't take another photo like this if you tried! Other things will affect the reaction too, if she is tired her pupils will react slower. "

I remember seeing someone on here posta bout this sort of thing a while back.

honestly - if you are even the slightest bit worried then go get him checked out - take a copy of the photograph with you so they can take a look.

I think given that your friend mentions that its only red in one eye might be worth getting checked out - and i'm not trying to worry you by saying that - its just that I am over paranoid about eye health as I'm practically blind in one eye and have a squint so I've been more paranoid with cole (who is under specialist care at the moment as I think he has a latent lazy eye)

Really hope its nothing to worry about though hun
x

Personally I wouldn't be too worried, but if MrJ is freaking out, it wouldn't hurt to go and get it checked. You'll both only wonder now anyway so might be best for peace of mind.

I am sure it's all ok though xx

hi, i posted something like thing some time ago:

http://www.babyexpert.com/chatroom/topic/77146

i was so scared. i took sam to a+e the next morning and then was referred to the emergency eye hospital (luckily not v far from us in brum) to get him checked out

he was fine! boy did i feel silly then but i had peace of mind :)

it can mean cancer in some cases but in our case the doc said it was just how sams eye reflected the light when he was looking away. he said that if the reflection had occured when sam was looking directly at the camera, or when from different angles then it is possibly a sign but only in some cases. but he said it was better to be safe than sorry so not to feel silly for coming in!

try not to worry im sure its nothing, i feel for you tho i remember how sick i felt, didnt get any sleep for worrying and crying, hope you are all ok

xXx

my friend is suffering from cancer has had several tumours which actually stemmed from an eye in a photo but it was a white shiny eye not a red eye.

Hi all, this is the picture...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3031868&l=9b3c67a141&id=509990814

Hope you can see it?

Thanks for the advice, I think we will def. get it checked out - hubby is way too concerned to forget it. With your baby, you can't take any risks can you? Just was very taken aback by the email and just didn't like receiving it!

xxx

[Modified by: MummyJoo on July 17, 2009 08:55 PM]

Hi love i'll put my pic up of grace that scared me teh eye lady on ere reassured me that it was fine and wen i looked through old photos of my other 2 kids some of theres was the same, i did ask my doctor the next time i took and she was fine. any how heres the pic if it works

hi hun i've had a look and if i was you i'd get it checked out in the morning just to put your mind at ease if nothing else. I guess the person that sent you that email was just trying to be helpful and looking out for T
xx

i was just going to say the same get it checked out for your own piece of mind love otherwise you will drive yourself potty with worry i know i did and it wasnt nice.

Poor you! These things are so awful, it completely takes over your life with worry, until the next thing comes along! (Unless that is you're not as crazy as me...)
As the other ladies have said, get it checked for your own piece of mind but I have photo's exactly like yours and Mummy2grace, including some taken last week, and my lo is one this month. They freak me out too, but as someone else said, not all of the (many) pictures I have taken are like this, it is only the odd one, usually at a bit of an angle. IMO your pictures are very different in the one in the article.
x

I have a photo like that too, got it checked out and he is fine! Doc said that if it was only 1 photo or in one photo session then its just the light conditions, best to get it checked for yourself anyway. xxx

hi babe ive had a look at your pic and i can understand why your friend wuld be worried HOWEVER like lemon cupcake says it would show up in every photo. your friend is agood friend for pointing this out although she has really scared you but i would defo get it checked out. reassuring to know mummy to grace has been through it and thankfully grace is fine. xx