Table of contents:
- What is retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)?
- What causes retinopathy of prematurity?
- What are some possible eye problems for premature babies with ROP in the future?
- What checks should be done?
- Is there any treatment that can be done?
The latest data from WHO in 2017 states that Indonesia is in 5th place as the country with the highest number of premature babies in the world. This is certainly worrying because premature babies have not developed enough so that they will be more susceptible to complications from diseases and other health problems. Premature babies are even more at risk of developing vision problems from birth than babies born full-term aka on time. One of the most common vision problems in the eyes of premature babies is retinopathy of prematurity, or ROP for short.
What is retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)?
Prematurity retinopathy (ROP) is an eye disorder of premature babies that occurs when the newly formed blood vessels in the lining of the retina stop growing. As a result, the retina will actually form new, abnormal blood vessels. These abnormal blood vessels are very prone to swell until they burst or leak. When this happens, the retina can detach from the eyeball and cause serious vision problems.
ROP mainly occurs in premature babies born before the 31st week of pregnancy weighing 1,250 grams or less. The smaller the baby at birth, the more likely it is to get ROP.
What causes retinopathy of prematurity?
The exact cause of retinopathy of prematurity is unclear and continues to be debated. However, most experts agree that the following factors trigger the emergence of ROP.
- Babies weigh less than 1,500 grams at birth.
- Born at less than 34-36 weeks of gestation. Babies born at 28 weeks of gestation will be more susceptible to ROP than babies born at 32 weeks of gestation, even though both are categorized as premature babies.
- Babies who receive oxygen assistance to breathe.
- Premature babies who have other health problems, such as infection or anemia (lack of red blood cells).
What are some possible eye problems for premature babies with ROP in the future?
When the baby is growing up, the following complications of ROP may occur:
- Lazy eye.
- Cockeye.
- Refractive eye problems (farsightedness or farsightedness).
- Glaucoma
- Cataract.
In severe cases, retinopathy of prematurity has the potential to permanently blind the baby's eyes if not treated quickly.
Therefore, if you have premature babies or relatives or relatives who have premature babies, don't forget to have them checked by the nearest ophthalmologist.
What checks should be done?
Retinal examination needs to be done on the eyes of premature babies as soon as possible to detect the risk of ROP before it's too late. The examination is carried out by first giving eye drops which are useful for dilating the pupil (the black part of the eye) and also for reducing pain.
Eye examinations are usually performed when the baby is 4–6 weeks old, because at this age the new ROP can be detected properly. Follow-up examinations will be carried out every 1-3 weeks depending on the condition of the retina and also the severity of the ROP experienced by the baby.
Is there any treatment that can be done?
There are several types of treatment that can be done for retinopathy of prematurity, including:
- Laser therapy on the edges of the retina to stop abnormal blood vessel growth.
- Injecting a special drug into the eyeball to reduce the growth of the blood vessels.
These actions need to be done when there has been a pull on the retina.
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