How is retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) detected?

Premature babies should be screened for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and all other at-risk illnesses shortly following birth. An ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) can diagnose ROP during an examination of the baby’s eyes in a hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or nursery.

ROP may not be apparent, however, until several weeks after birth. Therefore, premature babies at risk for ROP should also have their eyes examined by an ophthalmologist four to six weeks following birth. If ROP is diagnosed, the examinations should continue regularly until the abnormal blood vessel growth goes away on its own or is adequately treated by the ophthalmologist.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is diagnosed by eye examination to identify signs of ROP. While individual protocols on the scheduling of neonatal eye examination will vary, a general guideline based on gestational age at birth is:

• Infants born between 23 and 24 weeks gestation have their first eye exam between the 3rd and 4th week of life
• Infants born between 25 and 28 weeks gestation have their first eye exam between the 4th and 5th week of life
• Infants born between 29 and 32 weeks gestation have their first eye exam prior to discharge from the NICU
• All infant born prior to 33 weeks gestation, with no sign of ROP on the initial eye examination need follow-up examination as appropriate based on the infant’s history and clinical course and baseline examination findings.

Finding that are diagnostic of ROP include:

• Presence of scar tissue
• Evidence of retinal detachment from the eye’s inner tissues.