Topics of Discussion
ROP

wisdom from the Preemie-l e-mail group           http://home.vicnet.net.au/~garyh/preemie.htm


Joanne adds, "Alex had laser surgery for ROP ( stage 2 zone 3) and he did lose his side vision. We were told that where ever the laser touched destroyed that area of vision. So it was a choice to lose some selective vision as opposed to becoming blind."

Regina says, "Olivia had laser surgery on both eyes for ROP, and I was told she would loose some of her peripheral vision, but not tunnel vision. The good news - at her last follow up it appears she is not yet nearsighted and may miss this one complication. So the prognosis is not always terrible for ROP."

Dr Doug (a neonatologist) responds, "ROP itself causes loss of peripheral vision if it is severe enough to require surgery. Cryosurgery causes the loss of just a little more peripheral vision.I assume laser surgery does the same thing, but I don't have a reference to prove it. See the link below for a summary of a relevant paper from a medical journal
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=8841302&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b    "

Check out these resources for more information on ROP:

Premature Baby - Premature Child
Support for parents of children born prematurely
Vision Impairment
http://www.comeunity.com/disability/vision/index.html

 

FOR PARENTS OF PREEMIES
Answers to commonly asked questions
What is Retinopathy of Prematurity?
http://www2.medsch.wisc.edu/childrenshosp/Parents_of_Preemies/rop.html

 

Country Hills
Eye Center
http://www.konnections.com/eyedoc/ropstart.html

 

The Association for Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases
http://www.ropard.org/

 
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