Does My Child Really Need to Wear These Glasses? A Review of Retinopathy of Prematurity and Long-Term Outcomes

Guidelines for Screening and Intervention

International criteria and guidelines have been developed in several countries. In the United States, the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are followed when instituting standards of care. The AAP recommends that infants born at less than 1,500 grams or 28 weeks' gestation be seen at least once by an ophthalmologist with experience in premature infant ROP examinations. Infants with birth weights between 1500–2000 grams may warrant examination following a complicated clinical course. Initial screening should occur at 4–6 weeks of age. Follow-up exams are based on the severity of the initial exam and the infant's ongoing risk. Each neonatal intensive care unit is responsible for establishing specific screening criteria and ensuring long-term follow-up of infants with ROP.

Figure 2 shows the standard reporting form used by ophthalmologists when screening premature infants for ROP.

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Standard ROP reporting form. (Reprinted with permission from Dr. Carole Kenner: Kenner C. and Lott, J.W. (eds.) 2003. Comprehensive neonatal Care: A physiologic perspective, 3rd ed., Saunders, St. Louis, p 747).

The new ICROP allows for universal reporting of findings. Both the severity of ROP and affected areas of the disease are tracked. The ICROP allows for delineation of position (zone), severity (stage), and extent (clock hours).^[3]

NAINR. 2003;3(3) © 2003 W.B. Saunders

Cite this: Does My Child Really Need to Wear These Glasses? A Review of Retinopathy of Prematurity and Long-Term Outcomes - Medscape - Sep 01, 2003.