Eye Exam Catches Cancer in 3-Year-Old

TYRONE, Ga. - A metro Atlanta family says a comprehensive eye exam quite possibly save their little girl's life, when it alerted them to a condition in her chest.

When 2-year-old Kamryn Munoz's eye started to look a little strange, her parents thought it might have been the result of a little sunscreen getting in it. But it took a deeper look to find just what was going wrong.

Chad and Kari Munoz say taking their two daughters, Kaitlin and Kamryn, on vacation a couple of summers ago was a blast.

"We did Sea World and a few water parks. We had a great time. It was a really awesome vacation," said Chad Munoz.

But they had no idea how the trip would change their lives. As the family returned home, they noticed Kamryn's left eye began to droop.

"In the car on the ride home, I turned around and I could tell. And I said to him you know, I think that sunscreen really did something to her eye," said Kari Munoz.

After going to the pediatrician and still seeing no change, the Munoz's decided to see their optometrist, Dr. Scott Williamson for a comprehensive eye exam.

"As she was walking back, as I was taking her back, immediately I knew what she had," said Dr. Scott Williamson.

Kamryn was diagnosed with Horner's Syndrome. Dr. Williamson says it's a rare condition most eye doctors will only see once in their lifetime. And although the symptoms initially affect the eye, the danger has very little to do with vision but can be a signal of cancer elsewhere in the body.

"When we see that, especially in a congenital case, we know that there is probably a tumor in the chest that has created this. It's a very unique type of condition," said Dr. Williamson.

"It was the most frightening experience that you could ever imagine," said Chad Munoz.

The neuroblastoma tumor is treatable if you catch it early. Within a month, Kamryn had surgery and is now, at 3, a cancer survivor. The Munoz's say they are advocates of thorough, comprehensive eye exams. It's what saved their little girl's life.

Dr. Williamson says a comprehensive eye exam should be conducted at least yearly. He says a variety of health issues can be detected including, diabetes and high cholesteral.

For more information on consumer eye health resources, click here .

Source: http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/health/Eye-Exam-Catches-Cancer-in-3-Year-Old-Girl-20111227-gda-sd

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