What is Retinopathy of Prematurity?
Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) occurs when there is abnormal blood vessel development in the retina of the eye in a premature infant.
When a baby is born prematurely (too early), the retina has not had time to finish forming. After the premature birth, the blood vessels at the back of the eye may continue growing normally until the retina is fully developed (mature) or they may stop growing.
When they stop growing, the eye starts to make a chemical called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This chemical makes the blood vessels start growing again. However, these are not normal blood vessels. These abnormal blood vessels can bleed. They can also pull (detach) the retina away from its normal position. This is called a retinal detachment (RD), and it can cause blindness.
ROP has been relatively rare because of the advancements in neonatal care. However, the threat and likelihood of retinopathy of prematurity depends on how premature the infant is and the complexity of their medical issues after they are born. Today, in most hospitals, premature infants are screened for retinopathy of prematurity as a preventative measure.
Treating Retinopathy of Prematurity
The ophthalmologist’s role is to examine, detect and offer treatment for babies when necessary. Our eye doctors are some of the few to offer this type of screening and care in the metro Atlanta area.
The babies that meet certain criteria for age, weight and medical complexity are referred by the hospital doctor (neonatologist) for exams to make sure their retina is growing correctly until it is fully developed. Sometimes, when the blood vessels grow abnormally babies may require treatment to prevent blindness.
Treatment typically involves either laser therapy, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections, or cryotherapy.
