Question
What harm can respiratory support cause to a baby’s eyes?
Answer
My baby is now 3 months old. Will the respirator have any impact on his eyes? What effects does the use of a respirator have on a baby’s eyes during past treatments? My baby was born full-term, and his retina has matured, so the respirator will not have any effect on his eyes. However, if the baby is a premature infant, since the retina has not yet matured, the high concentration of oxygen used during respirator treatment may cause retinal blood vessels to contract or block, leading to detachment and potentially resulting in blindness. Currently, domestic and international experts recommend conducting eye fundus examinations on infants born before 32 weeks of gestation or weighing less than 1500 grams within 4 weeks of birth. If the first examination results are good, the examinations can be conducted weekly until 4 to 6 months after birth. It is suggested that parents wait another month or two for the examination and wish their baby a healthy growth!