Retinopathy of prematurity refers to an eye disorder in premature babies. Sometimes, premature babies grow abnormal blood vessels in the retina. This causes scarring of tissue on the inside of the eye. When the scars shrink, they pull on the retina. This causes damage to the retina, and in some cases even dislodges it causing lifelong damage to vision. This is referred to as retinopathy of prematurity and can lead to complete loss of vision.
Retinopathy of prematurity can only be detected by a qualified vitreo retinal specialist doctor. If you are a parent to a premature baby and live in or around Vadodara, get the baby’s eye tested by a retina specialist in Vadodara.
Symptoms of Retinopathy of Prematurity
A parent or a paediatrician will not be able to detect any abnormalities since ROP doesn’t have any visible signs or symptoms. Only a retinopathy specialist dealing with eye disorders of infants will be able to detect and diagnose ROP by checking the infant’s retina with the help of special medical instruments.
ROP, therefore, goes undetected and progresses to an advanced stage where the following symptoms can be seen:
- Abnormal eye movements, also known as nystagmus
- Myopia (severe near-sightedness)
- White pupils, also known as leukocoria
- Crosses eyes, also known as strabismus
If you see any of these symptoms get them checked by a retina specialist in Vadodara.
Causes of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Research shows that all premature babies are at risk of ROP (retinopathy of prematurity). Although a baby’s eye starts growing at around 16 weeks, most of the eye development occurs in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy. Premature birth hampers this growth or leads to abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina. This causes retinopathy of prematurity.
However, there are other factors that also contribute to retinopathy of prematurity in babies. These include low blood oxygen, low blood acidity, breathing problems, high carbon dioxide levels in blood, anaemia, blood transfusions, nutrient deficiency during pregnancy, etc.
Stages of retinopathy of prematurity
Doctors classify retinopathy of prematurity in different stages depending upon the severity and extent of ROP along with the specific area of the retina where ROP is present and how rapidly it is progressing towards advanced stages.
Stage 1: In the initial stage very mild growth of abnormal blood vessels is seen. Most often no treatment is needed at this stage and the babies may retain healthy vision.
Stage 2: Stage 2 has a bit more growth of abnormal blood vessels than stage 1. But it is possible for the babies to retain their vision without any treatment at this stage as well.
Stage3: At this stage, severe growth of abnormal blood vessels is seen. While some babies may get better without treatment, some progress towards a more serious condition called the plus disease and need immediate treatment to stop retinal detachment.
Stage 4: At Stage 4, detachment of part of the retina is quite common. These babies need treatment to prevent complete loss of vision.
Stage 5: This is the last and most severe stage of ROP where the retina is completely separated from the inside of the eye causing severe loss of vision and possibly complete loss of vision.
Babies with retinopathy of prematurity are usually treated with different types of minimally invasive laser surgeries.
Retinal surgery in Vadodara is performed by many doctors. Talk to the best retina surgery specialist in Vadodara for different surgery options.
Babies may either be able to retain most of their vision or may suffer from partial loss of vision and/or blindness. Retaining vision or losing it completely depends upon the stage of the ROP a baby is suffering from and timely treatments.
FAQs
What is retinopathy of prematurity?
Retinopathy of prematurity is a condition that can occur in premature babies in which the blood vessels in the retina are abnormal. This can lead to vision problems or even blindness.
What causes retinopathy of prematurity?
One cause of retinopathy of prematurity is when the blood vessels in the retina grow too quickly. This can happen when a baby is born too early, before the blood vessels have had a chance to mature.
Is my baby at risk for retinopathy of prematurity?
If your baby is born before 28 weeks of gestation, they are at risk for retinopathy of prematurity.