speculum, and the retina is examined for signs of
incomplete development of blood vessels indicating stage 1, or plus disease, indicating stage
2. The infant is not sedated; however, giving him
or her sucrose before the exam helps decrease
pain and discomfort (Agarwal, Azad, Chandra,
Chawla, Deorari, & Paul, 2012).
Treatments for ROP
Current treatments for ROP are aimed at
stopping the progression of the disease, or repairing damage that has occurred. Laser or cryotherapy can be used to treat ROP by scarring the retina which stops the formation of new blood vessels before they proliferate to the point that they
cause leakage, scarring and damage to the retina, or retinal detachment. The Agarwal article
states that laser therapy is generally preferred to
cryotherapy for several reasons, including: less
risk of complications after surgery, less damage
to adjacent tissue (which is immensely important
for saving vision inside the limited space of the
retina), the visibility of the laser reducing error in
locating the area to be treated, and the portability
of laser equipment. There is also an optimal window of treatment with laser therapy, defined as
Type I ROP, versus Type II ROP;
Type I ROP:
-Zone I, any stage ROP with
plus disease
-Zone I, stage 3 ROP with or
without plus disease
-Zone II, stage 2 or 3 ROP with
plus disease
Type II ROP
-Zone I, stage 1 or 2 ROP with
out plus disease
-Zone II, stage 3 ROP without
plus disease (Agarwal,
Azad, Chandra, Chawla,
Deorari, & Paul, 2012)
45
