Eye Screening for Premature Babies

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), originally called retrolental fibroplasia, was the leading cause of blindness in children in the 1940s and 1950s. ROP occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow and spread throughout the retina, the tissue that lines the back of the eye. These abnormal blood vessels are fragile and can leak, scarring the retina and pulling it out of position. This causes a retinal detachment. Retinal detachment is the main cause of visual impairment and blindness in ROP. ROP was first diagnosed in 1942.

Babies screened within the 1^st month of life and treated with laser immediately when the baby is still in NICU can preserve the vision completely.

 Under ROP programme the following babies were diagnosed and treated.

1. Baby of Jayashree -born in 29 week of gestation, weighing 1300gms male baby. The baby was diagnosed to have APROP – Aggressive Posterior in both eyes.  The baby was treated with intravitreal antivegf Accentrix injection to both eyes. Anti-VEGF injections are used in ROP only when the standard treatment of laser fails and the disease progresses. The treatment has rapid reponse. It may take a week for laser treatment to stop progression of disease, but the antibody binds the VEGF inside the eye almost immediately. Antivegf is the use of medications that block vascular endothelial growth factor.

2. Baby of Lathashree – born in 31 week of gestation, weighing 1420gms male baby. The baby was diagnosed to have ROP in stage 2 in zone 2 (location of the disease in the eye) both eyes and was treated with timely laser intervention. 

3. Baby of Roopa twin 1^st – born in 29 week of gestation, weighing 950 gms Female baby. The baby was diagnosed to have ROP in stage 2 in zone 2 both eyes and was treated with laser treatment.

4. Baby of Roopa twin 2^nd – born in 29 week of gestation, weighing 1100 gms Female baby. The baby was diagnosed to have ROP in stage 2 in zone 2 both eyes and was treated with laser treatment.

5. Baby of Shaheen – born in 28 week of gestation, weighing 1000gms male baby. The baby was on ventilator support for 1 ½ months and was diagnosed to have ROP in stage 2 in zone 1 in both eyes.  The baby was treated with laser intervention to both eyes.

ROP is one of the most common causes of visual loss in childhood and can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness.  All the above babies were treated with timely treatment interventions and further progression of the disease was prevented.