Ocular findings are common in children with acute leukemia at diagnosis.
Letter to the Editor: Eye as a window to disease burden in pediatric acute leukemia.
Devlina Ghosh · World journal of experimental medicine · 2026
Background
Ocular involvement in pediatric acute leukemia is an increasingly recognized, clinically relevant manifestation, but prevalence and patterns vary.
Methods
In a cohort of 47 children by Parija et al published in the World Journal of Experimental Medicine , ocular findings were present in 40.4% at presentation; most were asymptomatic and retinal hemorrhages predominated.
n = 47 children
40.4%
Results
nearly 40% of children with acute leukemia had eye problems when first diagnosed
n = 47 children
More results
It may arise from direct leukemic infiltration or secondary hematologic abnormalities.
More results
Other series report similar patterns, with retinal hemorrhages common and prevalence roughly 40%-45%, while pooled meta-analytic estimates suggest an overall prevalence near 20%, differences likely reflect ethnicity, healthcare access, diagnostic protocols, study design, and sample size.
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Conclusion
Larger prospective studies with standardized ocular and hematologic correlations are needed to define prognostic significance and optimize screening.