white pupils , Unusual eye movements,, vision loss
Dilated eye exam by ROP specialist
Observation (for mild cases), laser treatment, eye injections, surgery
No oral and topical medicine as of now.
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an eye disease of Retina which occur in babies who are premature (born early) тАФ or who weigh less than 2 kg at birth or has a stormy course after birth needing hospital stay. (Retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of our eye.it captures light and send it to the brain for interpretation)
In ROP disease abnormal blood vessels grow in and over the retina . Some babies suffer from mild disease and get better without treatment. But some babies need treatment to protect their vision and prevent blindness.
Babies are at risk for ROP if theyтАЩre born before 34 weeks of pregnancy or weigh less than about 2 kg at birth.
Older babies with respiratory , cardiac and other issues on discertion of their paediatric doctor
Normally, a baby’s retinal blood vessels start forming around the fourth month of pregnancy and gets complete by the ninth month. However, if a baby is born prematurely, these vessels may not develop properly. In response, the retina may grow abnormal new blood vessels, known as retinal neovascularization (NV). These abnormal vessels can grow in the wrong direction, and if they extend too far, they can tug the retina away from the back of the eye, leading to a condition called retinal detachment.
Stages 4 and 5 denote critical conditions. babies in these stages frequently need surgery, yet even with treatment, vision loss remains a possibility. Hence, doctors typically start treatment during stage 3.
It’s important to note that babies at any stage can deteriorate rapidly and require immediate treatment. So it is very important to adhere to scheduled follow-up checkups of your baby. Early detection and treatment of ROP significantly reduce the risk of serious complications.
In the early stages of ROP, there are no visible signs like redness, watering, swelling, or white spots in the eye. However, in advanced cases, white spots may appear in the eye due to retinal detachment, where the retina is pulled away from its normal position at the back of the eye. This condition can lead to vision loss and blindness, which unfortunately cannot be reversed.
Signs that a baby’s retina might be damaged due to ROP include:
Babies who had ROP or were born prematurely are also more likely to develop other eye problems as they get older, including:
If your child had ROP as a baby, it’s really important to take them for regular eye checkups. This helps catch any eye problems early and keeps their vision safe as they grow up.
If your baby is at risk for ROP, theyтАЩll need a dilated eye checkup before 1 month of age.
During the checkup, some eye drops are instilled in eyes to dilate (widen) the pupil. The doctor will check every part of your babyтАЩs eye for problems тАФ especially the retina.
Based on what the doctor sees during this first checkup, they’ll decide if your baby needs further checkups. If they do, the doctor will check their eyes again every 1 to 3 weeks until the retina is fully formed or they’re not worried about the risk of retinal detachment anymore.
Frequent eye checkups are crucial because they’re the only way the doctor can catch ROP in its early stages.
Many babies with ROP have mild cases that improve on their own without treatment. However, some babies require treatment to prevent ROP from worsening. It’s crucial to start treatment early to safeguard your child’s vision. Treatment options are:
