Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)

Retinopathy of prematurity does not cause symptoms, so diagnosis depends on careful examination The Eye Examination A person who has eye symptoms should be checked by a doctor. However, some eye disorders cause few or no symptoms in their early stages, so the eyes should be checked regularly (every 1 to 2... read more of the back of the eyes by an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of all types of eye disorders). Routinely, therefore, an ophthalmologist examines the eyes of all premature newborns who weigh less than 3 pounds (about 1,500 grams) at birth or who were in the uterus for less then 30 weeks. Eye examinations are repeated every 1 to 3 weeks as needed, until growth of the blood vessels in the retina is complete.

Newborns with severe retinopathy must have eye examinations, at least yearly, for the rest of their life. If detected early, detachment of the retina can be treated with surgery in an attempt to avoid loss of vision in the affected eye.

Retinopathy of prematurity is usually mild and resolves spontaneously. However, in a small percentage of affected infants weighing less than 2 pounds (about 1 kilogram) at birth, the disorder is severe and progresses to cause detachment of the retina and vision loss within 2 to 12 months after delivery.

Children whose retinopathy of prematurity has healed are at greater risk of developing other eye problems such as nearsightedness Causes In refractive disorders, light rays entering the eye are not focused on the retina, causing blurred vision. The shape of the eye or cornea or age-related stiffness of the lens may decrease the... read more (myopia), strabismus Strabismus Strabismus is an intermittent or constant misalignment of an eye so that its line of vision is not pointed at the same object as the other eye. If untreated, strabismus can cause amblyopia ... read more , and amblyopia Amblyopia Amblyopia, a common cause of vision loss in children, is a decrease in vision that occurs because the brain ignores the image received from an eye. Vision loss may be permanent if the disorder... read more . A few children with moderate, healed retinopathy of prematurity are left with scars on the retina and are at risk of detachment of the retina later in life. Rarely, glaucoma Glaucoma Glaucomas are a group of eye disorders characterized by progressive optic nerve damage (often, but not always, associated with increased eye pressure) that can lead to irreversible loss of vision... read more and cataracts Cataract A cataract is a clouding (opacity) of the lens of the eye that causes a progressive, painless loss of vision. Vision may be blurred, contrast may be lost, and halos may be visible around lights... read more can also occur.

When premature newborns need oxygen, oxygen levels are monitored carefully so that the lowest amount of oxygen necessary can be used. Oxygen levels can be indirectly monitored using a pulse oximeter Pulse oximetry Both arterial blood gas testing and pulse oximetry measure the amount of oxygen in the blood, which helps determine how well the lungs are functioning. Arterial blood gas tests are invasive... read more (an external sensor that measures the level of oxygen in the blood going through a finger or toe).

For very severe retinopathy of prematurity, laser photocoagulation treatment is done on the outermost portions of the retina. In this treatment, a laser beam is used to stop the abnormal growth of blood vessels and decrease the risk of detachment of the retina and loss of vision.

A drug called bevacizumab may also be injected to stop the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina.

If retinopathy of prematurity leads to a partial or complete detachment of the retina, sometimes surgery is done to reattach the retina and prevent further vision loss.

The following is an English-language resource that may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of this resource.