Premature babies at risk of blindness find hope in Pacific Eye and Laser Institute

MANILA, Philippines - There are an estimated 1.4 million visually impaired children in the world, many of whom are either born blind or lose their eyesight before their fifth birthday, according to World Health Organization studies. As much as 40 percent of the causes for childhood blindness are preventable or treatable, including retinopathy of prematurity, an eye disease that affects premature babies.

“When a baby is born prematurely, the blood vessels in his retina may not have developed fully, putting them at risk of having retinopathy of prematurity, or ROP,” explained Dr. Pik Sha Chan-Uy, one of the expert doctors of the Pacific Eye and Laser Institute. “It occurs when the formation of normal retinal vessels is not yet complete and there is subsequent development of abnormal blood vessels, which can progress and pull on the retina. This causes retinal detachment, or when the retina detaches from the back of the eye, leading to loss of vision.”

ROP is classified into five stages, ranging from mild (Stage 1) to severe (Stage 5). Stages 1 and 2 may resolve without any treatment, but can progress to the more serious stages. More severe cases, on the other hand, require surgical treatment right away. “It’s best to catch ROP at Stage 3. Immediate and proper treatment are required at this point, to improve the baby’s chance for normal vision,” added Dr. Chan-Uy. As ROP has no outward sign or symptoms, the only way to detect it is through an examination by an ophthalmologist. “Parents of premature infants need to be very proactive and vigilant,” said Dr. Chan-Uy, a Harvard-trained doctor who specializes in cataract, retina, strabismus, children’s eye diseases and laser surgery. “The effects of untreated ROP are devastating—it’s a lifetime of blindness. We can't prevent retinopathy of prematurity, but we can often avert its serious consequences through careful screening and treatment.”

A vision of healthcare expertise. Christopher and Diane Veluz were overcome with worry when they found out that their daughter, Carmela Angela, had ROP. “Since our baby was born prematurely, her pediatrician advised us to have her eyes checked by an ophthalmologist,” said Christopher. “Our pediatrician recommended that we go to PELI.” Committed to delivering top-quality, comprehensive eye care, PELI aims to be one of the premier eye-care centers in Asia. Boasting of the most advanced equipment, it is composed of highly skilled ophthalmologists who are trained at prestigious schools such as Harvard, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and Johns Hopkins University. Among its resident experts is Dr. Chan-Uy, who has the distinction of being the first graduate to complete the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus fellowship program at the world-famous Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary of the Harvard Medical School. She also received training in retinal diseases and surgery from the University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics.

Carmela’s parents took her to the PELI Surgicenter in Makati for an eye checkup, which confirmed that she had ROP. “We felt really sad and distressed because we didn’t want our baby to suffer and lose her eyesight.” Carmela was given immediate treatment on the same day. “At first, we were worried because we weren’t ready. We didn’t have any money to pay for it,” said Christopher. “But Dr. Chan-Uy allowed us to pay with a promissory note and just told us to pay whenever we can.” Dr. Chan-Uy monitored Carmela’s development and gave her a check-up every week. “We didn’t mind traveling all the way from Quezon province weekly. We just wanted her to get better,” Christopher said. Now four months old, Carmela is recovering well. “Dr. Chan-Uy said she’s doing great. From weekly checkups, we’re now down to once a month,” the parents shared. “PELIhas helped us save Carmela’s eyesight, thanks to their medical expertise, efficient service, and genuine care for our daughter. We’re very thankful for everything that they’ve done for our baby.”

Constant care. Dr. Chan-Uy advises parents to bring their babies, even those who were not born prematurely, to an ophthalmologist for an eye check-up. “This is a must especially for infants who had medical problems after being born, such as those who had infection and those who needed blood transfusion. They should have an eye examination one month after birth,” she said. The doctor also stressed the importance of vigilant monitoring and timely intervention. “A lot of parents are not aware of ROP. Sadly, we sometimes see patients who already have severe ROP and it’s too late to save their eyesight.” Full-term babies are not exempt from eye problems, Dr. Chan-Uy cautioned. Parents must also monitor whether their children exhibit any behavior like no eye contact for babies or wanting to watch TV close. “We recommend that they bring their babies for routine eye checkup when they reach six months old, so that the doctors can detect whether they have any eye condition and administer proper treatment as early as possible. If there is a family history of error of refraction or eye diseases, then they should bring the baby in for an evaluation as early as possible.” The Pacific Eye and Laser Institute Surgicenter is located at 50 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air, Makati City. PELI also has clinics in Quezon City and Binondo, Manila. For more information about PELI’s services and to find out more about retinopathy of prematurity, visit www.pacificeye.com.ph.