Little Nisreen was born with a hemangioma — a common type of benign vascular birthmark made up of extra blood vessels. In most children these marks grow for a period and then gradually shrink and fade. In Nisreen’s case the hemangioma continued to enlarge instead of regressing. Over time the swelling has affected the area around one of her eyes.

The growing lesion has led to amblyopia, often called “lazy eye,” a condition in which vision in the affected eye does not develop properly. Doctors have warned that without timely advanced treatment she risks permanent loss of sight in that eye. The specialized care she needs is not available where her family lives, so her parents are working urgently to reach experienced specialists abroad before irreversible damage occurs.

Despite the challenges, Nisreen continues to smile and engage with the world around her, unaware of the medical urgency her family faces. Her parents remain focused on securing the treatment that could preserve her vision and give her the best possible future.

Periocular (around-the-eye) hemangiomas can interfere with normal visual development in several ways: by blocking the visual axis, by pressing on the eye and inducing astigmatism, or by causing the eyelid to droop. When these problems are not addressed early, amblyopia can become permanent. Modern first-line treatments often include oral beta-blockers such as propranolol, sometimes combined with other therapies or surgery in complex cases. Access to experienced pediatric ophthalmology and vascular anomaly teams is critical for the best outcomes.

Nisreen’s story underscores both the determination of families seeking care across borders and the importance of early specialist intervention for hemangiomas that threaten vision.

Sources

• Family account describing Nisreen’s progressive periocular hemangioma, diagnosis of amblyopia, and the need for advanced treatment abroad
• Clinical information on infantile/periocular capillary hemangiomas and their risk of causing amblyopia from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus