Infants that are born prematurely are subject to a number of risks, including the possibility of developing retinopathy of prematurity, a vision problem that may become permanent.

Indeed, if retinopathy of prematurity is misdiagnosed or ignored for too long, it can lead to permanent complications such as blindness. A growing number of parents are filing medical malpractice lawsuits against those responsible for misdiagnosis, claiming that their infant’s retinopathy of prematurity could otherwise have been avoided or treated.

What is Retinopathy of Prematurity?

Retinopathy of prematurity (sometimes referred to simply as ROP) is a vision problem that is relatively common in infants born prematurely.

The likelihood that an infant will be diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity grows the earlier the infant was born and the less that they weigh. Infants born before 31 weeks of gestation and weighing less than 2 ¾ pounds are most likely to develop retinopathy of prematurity.

For some infants, retinopathy of prematurity is a reversible condition. In the worst cases, retinopathy of prematurity can result in permanent vision problems and even blindness.

How and Why does Retinopathy of Prematurity Occur?

Since it’s only in the last three months of a pregnancy that a fetus’ eyes begin to develop, a prematurely born infant may develop abnormal blood vessels in their eyes.

These blood vessels may develop in and around the retina, which can cause scarring, leaking, and in the worst cases, detachment. These problems affect the eye’s ability to detect light, leading to vision problems. Cases of detachment can also result in blindness.

Retinopathy of Prematurity Diagnosis and Treatment

If retinopathy of prematurity is diagnosed and treated early on, the condition is often reversible. But if the condition is not diagnosed for some time or even completely misdiagnosed, an infant may be unable to recover its eyesight.

Around 15,000 infants are diagnosed with this condition each year. Most of these infants recover. However, in a few hundred cases each year, this condition progresses to the stage where the retina has completely detached, leading to permanent infant blindness.

If retinopathy of prematurity is misdiagnosed or diagnosed too late, it may prevent an infant from receiving the proper treatment that will help them recover. In some cases, this may be attributed to medical malpractice.

Retinopathy of Prematurity Lawsuits

Some doctors might misdiagnose retinopathy of prematurity as something less serious and fail to begin treatment for retinopathy of prematurity in time to reverse its effects.

Parents have filed medical malpractice lawsuits after their babies ended up with late stage retinopathy of prematurity, alleging the treating physician did not properly diagnose or did not give the parents proper instructions for treatment or follow-up care.

If your child developed infant blindness or other preemie vision problems after suffering from retinopathy of prematurity, you may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Filing a legal claim cannot reverse the effects of retinopathy of prematurity or infant blindness, but it can help to compensate for medical expenses and lost wages.