A STUDY OF RISK OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT AND PREMATURE INFANTS WITH EXTENDED PROTOCOLS OF SCREENING

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity and its relationship with low birth weight and prematurity with extended protocols of screening. Methods : This is a hospital based observational study, examining all the newborn infants with birth weight ? 2000 grams and gestational age ? 35 weeks and / or neonates with > 2000 grams birth weight and > 35 weeks with rough neonatal period, brought to Govt. Regional Eye Hospital, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam from January 2017 to December 2017. Results: Three hundred forty two newborns were screened. Two hundred thirty seven newborns were normal and have no ROP. 38 were diagnosed to have stage 1 retinopathy of prematurity, 19 had stage 2 retinopathy of prematurity, 14 had stage 3 retinopathy of prematurity and 1 baby had stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity. The prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity was 21.05%, affecting 72 newborns. The prevalence of Retinopathy of prematurity progressing to threshold ROP was 1.17% affecting 4 newborns. ROP was confirmed in 5 babies with birth weight less than 1000 grams, 36 babies with birth weight less than 1500 grams, 24 babies with birth weight less than 2000 grams, 7 babies with birth weight more than 2000 grams. Gestational Age and Low birth weight were significantly lower among the newborns diagnosed with Retinopathy of prematurity than those among without disease. Conclusion: The development of retinopathy of prematurity was inversely proportional to weight and gestational age at birth. ROP can develop in newborns of more than 2000 grams and more than 34 weeks of gestation with rough perinatal course and screening for ROP has to be extended if neonatologist is of the opinion that babies have rough perinatal course.