FULL TERM EYE,
RETINA FULLY
DEVELOPED
PREMATURE EYE WITH
DEVELOPED RETINA
(BLOOD VESSELS ON
ORANGE-COLORED
SURFACE) AND
UNDEVELOPED RETINA
(NO BLOOD VESSELS IN
PEACH-COLORED
PERIPHERAL RETINA.
When a baby is born prematurely, the retina (tissue lining the inside of the eye) is only partially formed. The blood vessels have grown into the retina at the very back of the retina at the very back of the eye but not into the rest of the retina. The amount of abnormal underdeveloped retina determines the severity of prematurity. The closer that a premature baby is to full term, the more normally developed the retina becomes. The greater the prematurity, the greater there is a chance for an underdeveloped retina.
More than 80% of babies born weighing less than 2.2 pounds will develop ROP. Most cases of ROP can be cured without medical intervention. This usually occurs after the baby has been discharged from the hospital. Babies with ROP are at risk for retinal detachment (the tissue lining the eye will peel away from the back of the eye) up to 50 weeks after conception. Therefore, babies diagnosed with ROP that do require medical treatment, need to receive that treatment immediately. Modern medicine can greatly reduce and even cure the devastating effects of ROP on the eye.
Kathy Seabridge, Angela Cook, Sara Escoe
Causes, Treatments, and
Accommodations for your
Child

If your child has been diagnosed with
ROP, one of three things can happen:
1.
In most babies who develop
ROP, the blood vessels will heal themselves.
2.
In some babies, the vessels will only partially heal. These infants may develop nearsightedness, lazy eye, or a wandering eye. Glasses may be required at an early age. In few cases, the retina may scar, which may result in vision problems that are not entirely corrected with glasses.
3.
In the most severe cases, the vessels form scar tissue, which causes the retina to pull away from the back of the eye.
Though this problem may cause severe vision loss, there is treatment to minimize the loss.
In about 1 out of 4 babies, despite treatment, ROP can lead to blindness.
Parents:
 Communicate with other parents, doctors, and teachers about your child’s condition and needs.
 If you feel your child is not receiving proper treatment from teachers or doctors, seek help and ask questions.
 Use your resources. (We have included a list of resources within your area that may be available to help you and/or your child.
 Remember that your child’s TVI (Teacher of the Visually Impaired) is there to help you in any way possible.
Teachers:
 Follow your student’s IEP (Individualized
Education Plan).
 Every student with ROP will have different accommodations. Classroom accommodations may include: o Precautions to prevent further retinal detachment (modified P.E. classes). o A teacher’s aid to help the student get from one place to another within the school. o An Orientation and Mobility
Specialist to help with travel and general mobility. o Bright lighting. o Magnification for close work. o Telescopes for distance viewing. o Closed circuit television. o Recorded lessons. o Discussing and providing descriptions of any visual aids used during a lesson. o Books in large print, on tape, or written in braille. o Oral or large print tests. o Assistive technology (braille printers, screen readers, magnifiers, and talking calculators).