help: full term baby with retina not fully developed and uncommon optic nerves

[revolta]

hi,

My baby boy was born 3 weeks ago, he was born with polycythemia and was send to NICU 2 hours after birth due to breathing difficulty.
After 5 days of hospital stay, we bought our baby back.
We found our baby's right eye corneal diameter smaller than left eye, right eye around 8mm and left eye 10mm.
His right eye is greyish with white spot covering the center of the eye.

We bought our baby to ophthalmologist. Anesthesia was given to him in-order to diagnose his eye.
The doctor told us his right eye retina was not fully developed and left eye optic nerves was uncommon.
The brain doctor also came down to check whether my baby have brain damage as his left eye optic nerves was uncommon.
My baby is a full term baby, born on 38 weeks.

Is there any way to save my baby eye?
  

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

In general, congenital glaucoma is initially treated with eye drops to decrease the eye pressure, but the definitive treatment is often surgery.  If the pediatric ophthalmologist does not do this, a glaucoma specialist who operates on babies should be consulted.  The vitreo-retina specialist should be experienced with newborn exams and retinopathy of prematurity treatment.

[revolta]

The doctor who check on my baby is a senior Paediatric & Cataract Ophthalmology from my local hospital.
His smaller right eye have high pressure and diagnose to have Glaucoma.

For the time being, the doctor had pass us some eye drop for his Glaucoma.
Nothing is done to his undeveloped retina and uncommon optic nerve, the doctor mention the baby is still developing his eye and will review my baby few weeks later.

Which type of retina specialist? My local hospital only have Vitreo-Retinal Service.

I am very worry and can't sleep well, it seem to me that the undeveloped eye is not able to cure as my baby is already 1 month old, and show no improvement since born.




  

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

I don't have enough information to say exactly what is wrong, but a greyish color with a white spot in the right eye suggests a congenital cataract, corneal scar, or perhaps an issue with the eye pressure.  I would recommend bringing your child to a major medical center with an ophthalmology department.  Start with a pediatric ophthalmologist.  Another exam under anesthesia might be needed in the future; a retina specialist should also be involved in your child's care.  I wish you and your child the very best.