All About Retinopathy of Prematurity
A full-term pregnancy lasts anywhere between at least 38 weeks to 42 weeks. When babies are born in less than 31 weeks, the pregnancy is called pre-term pregnancy . When these premature babies suffer from an eye disease, it is termed Retinopathy of Prematurity. Retina, a structure in the back of the eyes is affected in this eye condition. It is because of the retina that your brain gets the signals to see. One can observe unwanted blood vessel growth on the retina of the baby under ROP. These blood vessels are responsible for the vision and eye problems that the baby experiences. The condition disappears as the baby grows but regular visits to an ophthalmologist are important. Causes for ROP The growth of eye blood vessels finishes a few weeks before the baby's birth. A baby's eyes get exposed to numerous surrounding factors upon birth. These factors affect the growth of blood vessels in the baby's eyes when they are prematurely born. Some causes for ROP are: ●