KATHMANDU: Medical experts have stressed the urgent need for timely eye screening in preterm newborns, warning that infants born before term face a significantly higher risk of developing serious eye complications that can lead to blindness if not detected early.
Speaking on the occasion of World Prematurity Day, observed globally on November 17, medical retina consultant Dr. Eli Pradhan Ranjitkar said eye screening within 28 days of birth is mandatory for babies born prematurely.
“Early treatment can prevent irreversible vision loss,” she said, stressing that conditions like Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) are more common in such infants.
Dr. Pradhan noted that one in ten babies worldwide is born prematurely, and around 30 percent of these infants in Nepal are found to have ROP. Babies born before 34 weeks, those weighing less than two kilograms, and newborns who spend prolonged periods in NICU are particularly at risk, she added.
Pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Sirjana Adhikari explained that complications such as bleeding in the retina can occur when babies are born before completing nine months of gestation.
“If not treated on time, the retina and blood vessels may tear, causing permanent blindness. That’s why these babies must undergo an eye examination within the first month,” she said.
Doctors have urged parents and caregivers to ensure timely checkups, stressing that failure to screen preterm infants increases the risk of preventable vision loss.
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