Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) affects babies born prematurely or at a low birth weight. Typically, premature babies are born before the blood supply to their retina is fully developed. This causes scar tissue inside the eyes. Without treatment, these infants can experience retinal detachment, loss of vision and eventually, blindness.
Newborns with ROP only develop symptoms after the disease has become severe or progressed to retinal detachment. That’s why early eye exams are important to protect your newborn's vision. Babies with this condition need lifelong follow-up, even if they didn’t require treatment.
When Should You Take Your Baby to a Doctor?
Babies born at 28 weeks or earlier or weighing less than three pounds, five ounces at birth are at risk for this disease. To prevent vision loss, have your baby examined by an eye doctor four to six weeks after birth.
Tests
Comprehensive Screening Exam :A complete eye exam, done four to six weeks after birth, is the best way to protect your baby’s sight. To ensure timely diagnosis, our pediatric eye doctors examine your newborn during and after their time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): This imaging test creates a cross-sectional, three-dimensional (3-D) view of the inside of your baby’s eyes.
Ultrasound : This safe, painless test uses high-frequency sound waves to produce detailed images of your baby’s eyes and allows the physician to examine the eye socket.
Treatments
Laser TherapyTo protect your baby’s eyesight, doctor may perform laser therapy to prevent the rapid growth of abnormal blood vessels.
InjectionsAnother method of treating this disease is injecting medicine into the eye to prevent abnormal blood vessels from forming. Before treatment, the eye care professional puts numbing drops into the infant’s eyes.
Laser TherapyUsing a laser beam, ophthalmologist opens clogged channels inside the eye, releasing fluid build-up. Laser therapy is an outpatient procedure.
