Doctors remove 285-gram eye tumour from three-day-old newborn in Rawalpindi

Doctors at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital have successfully removed a 285-gram congenital eye tumour from a three-day-old newborn in what the hospital described as the first successful treatment of its kind in Pakistan.

The baby, who belongs to Jhelum, was brought to the specialist hospital shortly after birth because of a rapidly growing tumour affecting one eye.

Doctors said immediate surgery was necessary because the tumour posed a serious threat to the newborn’s life.

The complex operation was performed by a team comprising Dr. Tayyab Afghani, Dr. Faizan Tahir, Dr. Ali Raza Syed and Dr. Ayman.

According to the medical team, the eye of a healthy newborn normally weighs about three grams, while the tumour removed from the child weighed 285 grams.

Dr. Tayyab Afghani said the surgery was successful and the newborn was recovering rapidly.

He said preparations were being made to fit the child with an artificial eye, which would help the baby lead a normal life.

Al-Shifa Trust said it operates a specialised children’s eye hospital in Rawalpindi equipped to perform complex paediatric eye procedures.

Afghani said eye tumours were extremely rare among newborns but could grow rapidly and become life-threatening when not diagnosed and treated promptly.

He advised families and healthcare providers to immediately refer newborns with unusual eye growths or swelling to specialised ophthalmic centres.

“Early transfer to a specialised eye facility significantly improves the chances of successful treatment,” he said.

The hospital said the case highlighted the importance of early diagnosis, specialist care and timely surgical intervention in treating rare congenital eye conditions.