TECHNOLOGY in the field of Neonatology allows premature babies to survive. But technology has not been able to reduce the incidence of retinal disorders, usually called retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP).

Normally, the retina or the eye that has a function as a shadow receiver objects before being processed in the brain, begin to form at 16 weeks gestation. This retina will get food supplies through the blood vessels that grow from the optic nerve toward the periphery of the retina. Retinal blood vessel itself perfectly shaped around two weeks after the baby is born at normal gestational age, which is about 40 weeks.

In premature infants born before retinal blood vessels are perfectly formed, there will be a demarcation line between areas that have been grown with the blood vessels that have not. This is what makes a stimulus formation of abnormal new blood vessels.This process can recover spontaneously or otherwise, develop into a worse situation, called the retinal detachment or retina ablosia (abruptio retina). This condition can cause blindness in one eye or even both.

ROP is a disease or disorder development of retinal blood vessels in infants born prematurely. Currently the highest ROP is the leading cause of blindness in children in the United States and one of the main causes of blindness in children worldwide.

In 1980 as many as seven thousand children in the United States declared blind due to ROP, and every year there are 500 children suffering from blindness due to ROP due to premature birth. Also in Jakarta, the researchers also found cases of ROP in premature infants around 70 percent.

Multicenter research in the United States report increased risk of ROP in premature infants with lighter birth weight and younger gestational age. However, in developing countries including Indonesia.
Infants who have ROP tended to have older gestational age and birth weight greater than the statements contained in the developed countries.

In addition to prematurity and low birth weight scales, some researchers speculate that the administration of oxygen can stimulate the formation of ROP. However, it was evident that not all premature babies who were given oxygen will suffer from ROP. On the contrary there are reports the discovery of ROP in premature infants who are not given supplemental oxygen.

To that end, the main predictors of the occurrence of ROP was gestational age and weight of babies at birth. Other ROP risk factors are usually caused by respiratory problems and heart problems. Disturbances that are often found in the newborn such as sepsis, anemia or yellow also increase the risk of ROP.

Preterm infants treated in an incubator and given oxygen at risk ROP. But not all premature babies who were given oxygen as well as with ROP vulnerable premature babies is not all ROP, only 20 to 30 percent for the overall weight.

approximately 20 percent of premature babies will experience strasbismus or refractive disorders when they reach 3 years of age. Of the many such cases, early treatment of premature infants should be done in order to minimize or eliminate the possibility blindness in children.

Please note that the ROP process can not be stopped even with the maximum handling. Other complications, such as retinal detachment, ambliopia (lazy eye), squint, smaller eye ball, cataracts, and glaucoma can also occur in infants with ROP.

Currently ROP is the biggest challenge for all physicians who handle premature babies. The most important thing in preventing ROP is to prevent premature babies are not born, therefore good antenatal care during pregnancy is extremely important. Premature births may be preventable.

This can happen if the cause is unknown, so the handling can be done immediately

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