Retinopathy of prematurity: – Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an eye disease in some premature babies born before 31 weeks. (A full-term pregnancy is about 38 to 42 weeks.) It is a problem that affects the tissue at the back of the eye called the retina. The retina senses light and sends signals to the brain so you can see.
In premature babies the blood vessels of the retina may not have the chance to develop as they should, which cause bleeding and scarring throughout the retina. This may cause the retina to detach. A detached retina can cause loss of eyesight.
As the infant grows, they should be seen by an ophthalmologist regularly. Sometimes urgent treatment is needed to prevent blindness. If not treated in time, the child can have severe permanent vision loss, or even go blind.
