{"id":6480,"date":"2019-05-03T17:02:05","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T17:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/?p=6480"},"modified":"2019-05-03T17:02:05","modified_gmt":"2019-05-03T17:02:05","slug":"jamaica-hospital-initiative-focuses-on-vision-saving-service-for-premature-babies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/jamaica-hospital-initiative-focuses-on-vision-saving-service-for-premature-babies\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamaica Hospital Initiative Focuses on Vision Saving Service for Premature Babies"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Retinopathy<\/a>Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disorder that affects premature babies. It results in the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina (the layer of cells at the back of the eye that allows us to see).<\/p>\n

According to the National Eye Institute, ROP \u201cis one of the most common causes of visual loss in childhood and can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness.\u201d\u00a0 It is estimated that 15,000 children living in the United States are diagnosed with ROP each year. The disorder can occur in babies that are born before 31 weeks of gestation and weigh 2 \u00be pounds or less.<\/p>\n

Although some premature infants are at risk for developing ROP, advancements in medicine such as timely laser therapy, intraocular medications, and initiatives such as Jamaica Hospital Medical Center\u2019s ROP Continuity of Care program reduces the chances for the disease to cause further complications.\u00a0 Serious eye problems that can develop as a result of ROP include detachment of the retina, glaucoma, strabismus and blindness.<\/p>\n

Jamaica Hospital\u2019s ROP Safety Net program aims to educate the community about the disorder, provide quality care to premature infants, and improve follow-up rates for patients who required ROP screening or treatment during their stay in the NICU. \u201cROP is an issue that affects our community but many people are unaware of the disorder, we want to change that,\u201d explained the hospital\u2019s ROP Coordinator Maria Estevez.<\/p>\n

The hospital\u2019s multi-leveled approach to care has made its ROP Continuity of Care program a success.\u00a0 At birth, premature babies who are at risk for ROP are screened for the disease by way of a thorough ophthalmological evaluation. If it is found that a baby has active ROP, a specially trained ophthalmologist will determine the best course of action to treat the patient.\u00a0 Treatment can include a series of examinations, as well as laser therapy or intravitreal injections.\u00a0\u00a0 Education and support are offered from birth until the child matures to eighteen years of age. \u201cOur team monitors the health of each patient diagnosed by constantly following up and coordinating their appointments. We send reminders and offer additional tools to help parents stay on top of their child\u2019s healthcare and eye care,\u201d said Estevez.<\/p>\n

Since implementing the ROP Safety Net program in 2016, Jamaica Hospital has experienced a significant incline in follow up rates.\u00a0 Prior to implementation, follow up rates were 58.2%; the hospital currently boasts a rate of 92.2%. \u201cWe are pleased with these numbers.\u00a0 They are a reflection of our efforts to educate parents and encourage them to actively follow up with the necessary care for their children,\u201d shared Dr.\u00a0 Julia Shulman, Chairperson of Ophthalmology at Jamaica Hospital, and Director of the ROP Service.<\/p>\n

ROP is an avoidable cause for blindness. Jamaica Hospital hopes that by initiating programs such as the ROP Continuity of Care, it can decrease the incidence of visual loss or blindness associated with the disorder. The hospital plans to link its community with a system of ROP care where support and comprehensive services are offered on a long-term basis.<\/p>\n

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.<\/strong> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disorder that affects premature babies. It results in the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina (the layer of cells at the back of the eye that allows us to … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[278],"tags":[1633],"class_list":["post-6480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ophthalmology","tag-retinopathy-of-prematurity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6480"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6482,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6480\/revisions\/6482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}