Infant Blindness

One of the most distressing types of visual impairment is infant blindness. Often it occurs as a result of ROP or retinopathy of prematurity. This condition leads to legal blindness in hundreds of premature infants every year and tens of thousands are diagnosed with ROP in some degree. This disease happens when blood vessels grow and spread abnormally throughout the retina. These vessels are fragile and can leak blood which may scar the retina and put it out of proper position causing detachment. The detachment of the retina is the leading cause of ROP related blindness and visual impairment.


There are a variety of reasons ROP may develop. Around 16 weeks gestation the eye begins to develop and the retinal vessels form in the back of the eye at the optic nerve. These vessels grow slowly as the retina develops, bringing nutrients and oxygen. In the final three months of pregnancy, the development of the eye is rapid. In the last few weeks of a full-term pregnancy the growth of the retina is complete in the last few weeks. Unfortunately for babies born prematurely, normal growth may cease and the retina may not receive the nutrition and oxygen required.

Many medical researchers and scientists alike think the retina then releases signals to other parts of itself for the purposes of nourishment. To respond to these signals, new vessels which are abnormal start to grow. They are susceptible to bleeding and can scar the retina. The retina then detaches because the scars shrink and the shrinking pulls on this delicate piece of tissue. Fortunately not all cases of ROP are untreatable as this disease comes in stages.

Infant blindness due to ROP comes in five stages from mild which is stage 1 to severe which is stage 5, usually designated by the Roman numerals I and V. Stage one cases often resolve without treatment and these children go on to have normal eyesight. Stage two is more moderate and may also improve on its own. Stage three may require treatment to prevent detachment of the retina. Stages four and five will almost surely require treatment. Today both cryotherapy and laser therapy is used to treat cases of retinopathy of prematurity as well as other vision defects affecting both infants and adults.



Anchor Center for Blind Children

 

 

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