Treatment of prematurity retinopathy should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of the problem and aims to prevent the development of blindness, which is caused by the detachment of the retina inside the eye; However, even with the diagnosis of retinopathy, in some cases in cases, it is only important to perform periodic evaluations in the ophthalmologist because the risk of disease progression is low.
In addition, it is recommended that all babies diagnosed with prematurity retinopathy have annual appointments with the ophthalmologist as they have an increased risk of developing visual problems such as myopia, stratia, amblyopia or glaucoma, for example.
- In the chaos in which the ophthalmologist believes there is a risk of blindness.
- Some treatment options may include:.
These treatments are done through general surgery so the baby is calm and doesn’t feel any pain, so if the baby is already out of motherhood, he or she may need to stay in the hospital one more day after surgery.
After treatment, your baby may need to wear a bandage after surgery, especially if he or she has had a vitrectomy or if he or she has placed the surgical tape in the eyeball.
After undergoing treatment for premature retinopathy, the baby should be hospitalized for at least 1 day until he or she fully heals from the effects of anesthesia and can return home after that time.
During the first week after surgery, parents should put the drops prescribed by the doctor in the baby’s eye daily, to prevent the development of infections that can alter the outcome of the surgery or aggravate the problem.
To ensure the cure of preterm retinopathy, the baby should visit the ophthalmologist regularly every 2 weeks to evaluate the results of the surgery until the doctor leaves, however, in cases where a tape has been placed in the eyeball, routine consultations should be maintained every 6 months.
Premature retinopathy is a very common visual problem in premature babies that occurs due to the reduced degree of ocular development, which normally occurs during the last 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Thus, the risk of developing retinopathy is higher because the baby’s gestational age is lower at birth and is not influenced by external factors such as camera lights or flashes, for example.