Premature Retinopathy Diagnosis, Treatment and Training Center
Premature Retinopathy Diagnosis, Treatment and Training Center is one of the first centers opened and initiated by The Ministry of Health considering PR Disease in our country within the framework of our hospital. PR Screenings are carried out by Associate Professor Dr. Özdemir ÖZDEMİR (Center Executive), Associate Professor Dr. Damla ERGİNTÜRK ACAR and Specialist Physician Ayşegül ARMAN in our center.
Most of the premature babies' organs and body tissues are not fully developed. Eye is the primary of those. Retina tissue (layer of tissue), surrounding the inner and the back area of the eye, which is not seen by external examination starts to be developed during the last months of pregnancy as vascularization of retina is completed near delivery. Retina layer has very important functions for vision. Images that eyes sense are reflected on the layer of retina and those images are transferred to the visual cortex in the brain and the vision begins.
Especially, retina layers and vessels nurturing that layer of the babies to be born with low birthweight and premature babies are not fully developed. The development of retina layer is distorted in some premature babies, causing abnormalities and bleedings in the vessels nurturing the layer. It is called Premature Retinopathy (ROP Disease)
This disease is seen in premature babies. The earlier with less weight a baby is born, the more s/he has the risk of catching ROP Disease. The probability of having this disease increases in the babies with various complications inside their mother's womb and after delivery.
In Summary:
• Babies who are born before the 34th of pregnancy
• Babies whose birthweight is lesser than 1750 gr.
• Newborn Intensive Care Unit Patients,
• Babies who need oxygenotherapy,
• Babies with respiratory distress,
• Babies with respiratory disorder,
• Babies having heart diseases or circulatory system disorders,
• Babies who are infected before,
are under risk, even if they are born after 34 weeks or they weight more than 1750 grams.
ROP Disease may cause serious vision loss, leading to blindness without showing any indication. The only method to diagnose the disease is an eye examination performed by an ophthalmologist. When the disease is detected, it is too late for treatment most of the time. Babies being indifferent to his/her environment by growth, lack of eye contact with the mother, lack of meaningful glances and noticing white spots in the pupil may be the signs of this disease. ROP Disease can be treated, but the most important step in the treatment is early diagnosis. Examinations called ROP Screening are performed for premature babies for this purpose. The risky babies mentioned above must undergo their first examination after four weeks of delivery or six weeks at the latest. Some of the babies with the diagnosis of ROP Disease get better while some of them get worse. Advanced surgical methods such as laser, intraocular injections and vitrectomy are applied in the treatment of this disease today.
Diagnosis and Treatment:
Premature Retinopathy (ROP Disease)
Featured Services:
ROP Screenings, neonatal fundoscopic examination
How can I go through examination?
Premature Retinopathy (ROP) Diagnosis, Treatment and Training Center is located on the B1 floor of The Maternity Tower in our hospital. You can directly apply to our center or you can call our center during the working hours to make an appointment. Hospital number: 0312 552 60 00, extension number to dial: 521 555 or 5540
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is ROP?
Premature Retinopathy is a disease being detected in the eyes of premature babies, causing vision loss, leading to blindness. This disease is also known as ROP Disease as the acronym for Retinopathy of Prematurity.
When should ROP examination be performed?
Usually, symptoms of ROP Disease start to emerge approximately one month after delivery so it is recommended that the first check-up of babies are performed four to six weeks after birth.
How long does ROP examination take?
Pupil dilation (widening of pupils by drops) is required for ROP examination. The pupil dilation procedure may take time between thirty minutes and two hours, varying from patient to patient as ROP Disease examination takes approximately 1 to 20 minutes considering the growth of eye vessels and the severity of the disease.
What problems do you have if your baby doesn't undergo ROP examination?
Vision loss and blindness may be discussed in consequence of neglection or delay in babies' eye check-ups.