2. My Vision: By Noel Johnson 12 th Grade

3. Retinopathy of Prematurity Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants weighing about 2¾ pounds (1250 grams) or less that are born before 31 weeks of gestation (A full-term pregnancy has a gestation of 38–42 weeks). The smaller a baby is at birth, the more likely that baby is to develop ROP. This disorder—which usually develops in both eyes—is one of the most common causes of visual loss in childhood and can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness. ROP was first diagnosed in 1942. Source: National Eye InstituteNational Eye Institute Retin—has to do with the sight cells— the retina. “Opathy” means a disorder. Prematurity has to do with being born before 38 weeks of pregnancy.

4. What is Going on? What has happened in a premature baby is that the eyes are not fully developed. The doctor has to decide if the baby should get enough oxygen to save its life which may make the cells in the back of the eye grow haywire. Sometimes the sheet of sight cells called the “retina” come loose from the back of the eye. Also, the baby’s eyes are not ready to see light yet and that is why now days the ICU for babies is kept very dark and the babies eyes are covered. It is believed that the normal light in the hospitals was helping to make the babies blind, too.

5. Inherited or Acquired A mother can have a history of premature births but all of the children may not have ROP. A mother born with ROP does not pass it on to her children. Nor does a father.

6. Stable of Degenerative? That depends. If the retina is partially detached or just a little damaged it may fully detach. Most times the condition stays the same. Some children born premature have to be careful not to get blows to the head because of hemorrhaging and losing the little vision they may have.

7. What I want others to know Well, I cannot see like you do but I am alright about it because I have been blind all my life. I have things I enjoy doing like any other teenager. I have an imagination and sometimes I fuss with my parents. Sometimes my little brother gets on my last nerve. I like old school music and languages so don’t feel sorry for me. Just talk to me regular and I will talk to you. You can visit my web site at www.geocities.com/konnichiwa _noel/watermelon.html

8. ROP Organization The Association for Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases also called ROPARD. The web site is at http://www.ropard.org/ http://www.ropard.org/ You can join them and have emails come to you about the organization every month. I think I would like to join this organization and I think it would be good for my parents to take me to some meetings. I think it would be very interesting.

9. The End A Konnichiwa Production