Your baby is premature.
The
Vision of your baby depends upon the baby’s RETINA, which also is premature bcos your baby is premature.
You
require a ROP check by a Retina specialist to prevent risk of blindness in your
baby.
·
What is this ROP
??? (Retinopathy of Prematurity)
·
Why should I be
worried about the eyes of my premature baby ?
The innermost layer of the eye (the retina) is not
fully developed (it too is premature) in a premature baby due to early birth.
This premature retina layer is further exposed to factors, which are aiding
this condition called ROP.
This premature retina can develop abnormal blood
vessels. This can cause bleeding inside
the eye and also a retinal detachment.
This is called ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity).
If developed and progressed, ROP surely leads to low
vision and even blindness.
The sad part is that it is a condition exclusive to
premature babies.
The sadder part is that it is a condition which
progresses very fast. If not detected and treated at the crucial time, it can
lead to irreversible low vision or even blindness.
·
How can I help
detect ROP in my premature baby?
A Retina
Specialist or a Pediatric Ophthalmologist or a trained eye surgeon can detect
ROP by detailed examination of your premature baby’s eyes. All it requires is for you to remind your
Pediatrician or directly request for a Retina Specialist.
This test is done inside your Neonatal Unit or the hospital,
during a visit by the Retina Specialist or Pediatric Ophthalmologist. The
pupils of the eye are dilated using drops and the Retina is examined by an
Indirect Ophthalmoscope for any signs of ROP. In fact, you can ask your Paediatrician to help you with an ROP Eye check.
·
Should all
premature babies be examined for ROP?
ALL
premature babies should be examined ……..at the soonest.
And after all it is a simple exam, done in the
hospital without any inconvenience to your baby. And this one simple
examination to detect ROP could mean the difference between normal vision and
blindness.
Babies
with a birthweight of less than 1700 gm or those born before 35 weeks of
pregnancy are at the highest risk to develop ROP.
Any premature baby who has other problems after birth
(oxygen line, blood transfusion, infections, etc) is also at a risk.
·
What is treatment
for ROP?
ROP is
best treated with laser rays. This
treatment can be done in the Neonatal unit or the hospital, with the help of
the Pediatrician and team. The treatment helps stop further growth of
abnormal vessels, thus preventing complications.
The thing to remember is that ROP is a very fast
disease. The time period between early detection and complications is just 2-3
weeks. The treatment has to be decided on at the soonest. ROP should be treated
as soon as it reaches a critical stage called as threshold ROP. There is a 50%
greater risk of vision loss if left untreated after this.
The treatment is successful in majority of the case.
Only some rare, late diagnosed or complicated retina’s may go into further
complications.
They may require advanced treatments like Injection
Anti VEGF or Vitrectomy.
·
When should the
eyes of my premature baby be examined.?
Follow the “Day – 30” strategy.
The eye exam should be done at soonest or atleast completed
before “Day-30” of the life of a premature baby.
It is a simple exam, done in your hospital without any inconvenience to your baby.
ROP can progress rapidly and seriously in 2-3 weeks.
Therefore it may require 2-3 check ups in that period.
·
What is the after
Treatment or regular follow up schedule of a premature baby?
If treated on time, majority children will not go into
complications.
Yet all premature babies require a yearly eye exam by
a Pediatric Ophthalmologist.
All babies who have developed ROP will develop some
other eye conditions. They may require treatment for glasses, lazy eye, cross-eyes,
or even cataract, glaucoma and retinal
detachment. This again indicates a yearly eye exam by a Pediatric
Ophthalmologist till atleast 15 years of age.
