Central Virginia Ophthalmologist Help Save Eyesight of Babies in Centra Neonatal Unit at Virginia Baptist Timely detection of a potentially blinding disease in premature infants is helping save the eyesight of babies in Virginia Baptist Hospital’s neonatal intensive care nursery. Parents of premature babies know their infants are apt to face a variety of health complications. Among them is a potentially blinding disease called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina. The retina is one of the last sites in the developing fetus top form its own blood supply. As sophisticated medical care nationwide increases the survival of low-birth weight infants, more babies are at risk for ROP, which can result in retinal detachment and severe vision loss or future nearsightedness, cataract, eye misalignment and amblyopia (lazy eye).

ROP develops when oxygen delivered to premature infants for their survival causes constriction of blood vessels in the eye, and regions of the retina without blood vessels become oxygen-deprived. This causes vessels to grow in an abnormal pattern. If the vessels grow into the center of the eye instead of flat on the retina, they can scar and bleed and cause the retina to become detached. “Parents are understandably fearful at the prospect of their infant having a life-long visual disability,” said Gail Ganser, M.D., pediatric ophthalmologist who conducts weekly screenings of infants considered by neonatologists to be at risk for ROP. Last year, she conducted approximately 80 examinations at Virginia Baptist Hospital. The screenings also previously have been performed by retina specialist Robert Vogel, M.D. Both physicians practice at Piedmont Eye Center, the only multi-subspecialty ophthalmology practice in Lynchburg offering comprehensive eye care to patients of all ages. After the initial screening, babies are seen in two-week intervals by Dr. Ganser until the infants are no longer at risk for ROP. The examinations involve dilating the infant’s eyes with drops and using a head-mounted light and focusing lens to examine the retina.

“I am looking to see if the retinal blood vessels are developing normally or in a dangerous pattern that can lead to retinal detachments,” said Dr. Ganser. “In many infants with true ROP, the disease resolves with observation over time.”

If Dr. Ganser observes warning signs of developing ROP, the infant is referred for laser treatment to the retina. “Laser treatment usually resolves ROP, but studies show 12 percent of babies still may go on to have a retinal detachment,” she said. Virginia Baptist is a regional referral center for high risk babies with three neonatologists and eight neonatal nurse practitioners along with specialty certified registered nurses and perinatal social workers. For more information, please call 434-200-4731.