RAWALPINDI: More than 80pc of premature babies, who weigh less than 1.5kg at the time of birth, have the high risk of developing the disorganised growth of retinal blood vessels which can cause vision problems, including permanent blindness.

“Babies born prematurely, before 266 days, have many obstacles to overcome in their first fragile weeks, one of which is eye development that can be resolved through screening and surgical procedure to help avoid serious eyesight problems later in the life,” said Dr Wajid Ali Khan, the chief of medical services at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital.

Talking to newsmen, he said the blood vessels of the retina begin to develop three months after conception and complete their growth at the time of normal birth. If an infant is born prematurely, their eye development can be disrupted.

Using excess oxygen to treat premature babies in the hospitals stimulates abnormal vessel growth in the eyes with the smallest and sickest having the highest risk of facing devastating effects of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), the leading cause of paediatrics retinal blindness.

Studies have shown that keeping the oxygen saturation at a lower level from birth can reduce the rate of advanced ROP.

He said parents must include a vision screening in their list of baby check-ups between six and 12 months of age as every premature infant deserves the constant attention of an ophthalmologist because of their increased risk for eye misalignment, amblyopia and the need for glasses to developing normal vision.

Dr Khan said Al-Shifa had already signed MoUs with the Fuji Foundation Hospital, Combined Military Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Hospital to provide treatment facility to newborns having the risk of ROP.

Al-Shifa is the only hospital in the Saarc region and among a few in the world having the latest facilities and skills to treat newborns with ROP, he added.

So far, Al-Shifa has cured around 5,000 infants in the last four years and the number is bound to increase as the awareness grows, he said.

“We are here to provide free guidance to all the state-owned and private healthcare facilities, including those in other countries, to help save thousands from plunging into darkness for life.”

The hospital has over 40 highly qualified eye surgeons with paediatrics department having some of the most senior eye specialists. The hospital is expanding further which will allow the department to handle over 500 OPD patients per day in coming years. The current capacity stands at 250-300 patients per day.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2017