Eye tests, surgery for ROP

[AP]

Me and Alex are going to stay in neonatal for the next three nights.

Tomorrow, Alex will undergo laser eye surgery. Her ROP has worsened to Grade 3.

She will be sedated and put on a ventilator for this.

Does anyone have experience of this, and what happened afterwards? Did baby need shields on eyes? Eye drops? What about further treatment and tests?

 

[Dona]

Hey Sandi,

One of the Mum's I keep in touch with, her little girl needed it. Basically she was only on the vent for a day, no eye shields or drops. She has been to see Dr Fleck a couple of times this year since she's left the hospital for check ups. Archie has grade 2 and we are back next week to see Dr Fleck for a check up. This is his second one too. I think this is the last one...heres hoping.

I know the vent really scares you seeing Alex on it again. Remember that this time her lungs are far bigger and stronger so she should come off it again quick.

Good luck for tomorrow and keep us all posted xx

 

[AP]

I hope it's the last visit too for Archie.

I'm scared Dona - did your friends LO eyes look sore or anything afterwards. i'm frightened about what to expect!

I'm also going to go mad if they put me in a room with other Mums. Alex is in a routine and I dont want them arsing it up!

 

[dannigizmo]

hope all went ok hun, my lo went through the surgery, eyes were a bit swollen for couple of days and got drops for 7 days. Still has check ups every 3 to 6 months and had the op in January.

Hope she is recovering well and big hugs xxx

 

[nkbapbt]

Lakai also had the surgery because his Stage 2 was not getting better but also not getting any worse. He did have drops one for 7 days and another for 10, which were not easy to give at first but then by the third day we got it.

His eyes weren't swollen though. And he had very little signs of pain.

We were also extremely scared to have him vented again, especially since he was still in the NICU when he had it done and had struggled to get off the vent so many times.

I promise you, if my little monkey can do it, your LO will have no troubles. He had big upper airway issues and still made it off without a hitch. Like Dona said, she is bigger and stronger now. Everything will be ok.

I did have to take Lakai every month at first after his surgery, but now it's six months. He had a need for glasses scare but then his eyes corrected themselves. The check ups can be scary for you and your LO because they sometimes use the thingy that opens their eyes up, it looks like a clamp!

But its painless and they are quick.

I know everything will go well tomorrow, please keep us updated!

 

[AP]

thank you ladies! It went well! I guess i wasn't sure what to expect. They took her away to put her iv lines in first. After a while i went to see her, thinking she'd be pretty peeved off. But she was smiling and happy.They then measured out all her drugs and i left them to it. I returned after about 2-3 hours. I did get a fright seeing her on the vent again. But she woke up very quickly and weaned her off the morphine in 4-5 hrs. The vent was taken off after 6hrs and she was discharged the following morning. They said Alex surprised them with a quick recovery. Her eyes arent swollen,just the slight tinge of red in the white of her eyes. She is happy,has no pain and has 2 sets of eye drops for 7 days, and check up appointments.