children s health issues
Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Eye examinations Retinopathy of prematurity does not cause symptoms, so diagnosis depends on careful The Eye Examination 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. 