Synonym: cat's eye reflex
Leukokoria is when a pupil appears white with a light shining into the eye. It may be unilateral or bilateral depending on the cause. An observer may describe an affected eye as looking glazed over.
The condition is due to light reflection caused by:
(1) a cataract
(2) an area of retinal hypopigmentation
(3) an area of retinal detachment and/or scarring
Differential diagnosis:
(1) retinoblastoma
(2) retinal detachment
(3) ocular toxocariasis
(4) congenital cataract
(5) retinal hypopigmentation
(6) Coat's disease (idiopathic change in retinal vessels with massive lipid exudate and retinal detachment)
(7) cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity
(8) familial exudative vitreoretinopathy
(9) Norrie's disease (X-linked recessive infantile blindness with vitreoretinal dysplasia, mental retardation, cochlear deafness, and cataract)
(10) incontinentia pigmenti retinopathy (associated with cataract formation and/or retinal detachment)
