Childhood Blindness
Childhood blindness was a topic extensively discussed by Dr John Alfred H. Lim, an Ophthalmologist, in one of our conventions in the Philippines Pediatric Society.
Dr Lim said that the actual number of blind children is smaller than adult blindness but the number of “blind years” is significant.
In developed countries, 5.5% – 20% of childhood blindness is due to Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). The worldwide prevalence of blindness due to ROP is 50,000.
In our country, the Philippines, the leading treatable cause of blindness among children is Retinopathy of Prematurity (47.7%) and cataract (5.8%)- Del Mundo and Chua, 2019.
Dr Lim explained further that ROP is more on the formation of abnormal blood vessels leading to retinal hemorrhages, scarring and retinal detachment.
So, prematures should be screened by the ophthalmologists for early detection and management.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guideline stated that the following should be screened:
– < 32 weeks Gestational age
– < 1500 grams birth weight
– > 32 weeks or >1500g with complicated postnatal course or identified by the neonatologists that at risk for developing ROP.
The following prematures who are at risks are the following:
– oxygen supplementation
– those who received blood transfusions
– those with sepsis
– those on mechanical ventilators, prolonged admissions, respiratory distress syndrome and those with low apgar