ROP, or retinopathy of prematurity is a blinding disorder of the eye that affects newborns born prematurely (before 31 weeks of gestation) and weighing 2 ¾ pounds or 1250 grams or less. A pregnancy brought to its full-term is 38-42 weeks.

According to the National Eye Institute, the smaller the baby, the more likely the baby is to develop ROP, or newborn baby blindness. The diagnosis, first discovered in 1942, ordinarily develops and affects both eyes. This cause of newborn baby blindness is the common cause of visual loss during childhood and may lead to lifelong blindness and visual impairment.

Due to advances in neonatal care, technology allows more and more premature infants to be saved.  It must be noted, however, that not every premature baby will develop ROP.

In the United States, of the 3.9 million babies born every year, 28,000 will weigh approximately, 2 ¾ pounds or less. Of those, 14,000-16,000 will have been affected with ROP, putting them at risk for newborn baby blindness. Additionally, of those affected, roughly 90% of infants with ROP will have it in a much milder stage and will not need any treatment.

According to the National Eye Institute, the newborn baby blindness occurs when, “abnormal blood vessels grow and spread throughout the retina, the tissue that lines the back of the eye. These abnormal blood vessels are fragile and can leak, scarring the retina and pulling it out of position. This causes a retinal detachment. Retinal detachment is the main cause of visual impairment and blindness in ROP.”

During or approximately around the 16th week of pregnancy, the eyes of the fetus start to develop. This is when the retina’s blood vessels from at the optic nerve. The blood vessels then supply oxygen and nutrients as they grow towards the edges of the retina that is being developed. The eye of the fetus develops very rapidly during the last 12 weeks of pregnancy. Moreover, when a baby is born and brought to full-term, the blood vessels of the retina are practically complete, and the retina finishes developing roughly a month after birth.

The eye of the fetus develops very rapidly during the last 12 weeks of pregnancy. When a baby is born at full-term, the blood vessels of the retina are practically complete, and the retina finishes developing roughly a month after birth.

However, according to the National Eye Institute, “if a baby is born prematurely, before these blood vessels have reached the edges of the retina, normal vessel growth may stop. The edges of the retina the periphery may not get enough oxygen and nutrients.”

Besides premature delivery and baby weight, other factors that contribute to a baby contracting the newborn baby blindness include the overall health of the infant, respiratory distress, blood transfusions, breathing difficulties, and anemia.

According to the National Eye Institute, treatments to prevent newborn baby blindness include cryotherapy and laser therapy. The institute explains that “laser therapy ‘burns away’ the periphery of the retina, which has no normal blood vessels. With cryotherapy, physicians use an instrument that generates freezing temperatures to briefly touch spots on the surface of the eye that overlie the periphery of the retina.”