The Eye Exam: Day 67

Benton swaddled in his new blankets!

Yesterday was Benton's first eye exam and to say I was nervous is the understatement of the century.  While an eye exam may seem innocuous, in a premature infant it is decidedly not.  Starting at 32 weeks gestation each preemie needs to get their eyes examined each week to ensure that they are not getting retinopathy of prematurity, otherwise know as ROP.  While Benton is already over two months old he just hit the 32 week threshold so now the eye exams start.  On Tuesdays the optometrist comes in and checks the baby's eyes....but in order to check their eyes they have to pry each baby's eyes open with something that looks like a paperclip and shine a bright light in their eye while moving their eyeball around with something that looks like a spoon.  God even just writing that makes it sound like some sort of medieval torture.

Looking at mom while holding my finger

 In order to get Benton ready for this uncomfortable event the nurses had to dilate his eyes with drops which can cause them to desat, lower their heart rate and even start vomiting.  Once Benton's eye drops were in he needed to stay under his blanket so his eyes wouldn't be hurt with any bright lights.  While Benton did not enjoy having his eyes dilated he only desated a bit and was able to recover quite quickly afterwards.  In addition, he didn't experience any of the nausea that normally comes with the eye exam.  Once his eyes were dilated the doctor came in and wrenched his eyes open for a good peek.  I had been told that watching this procedure could scar you for life, so I stayed away only to come back in once everything was done.  I was told that Benton survived the eye exam just fine and had the regular reaction of desating and lowering his heart rate but nothing out of the ordinary.  During the exam he had to go back up to 100% oxygen but by the time I came back in he was already back to 89% oxygen, which for him was a miracle.  I was sure that when I came back in he would be at 100% oxygen and still having a rough go of it, but my little fighter surprises me every time and he took the eye exam like a little champ!

First ever swaddle!

With the exam itself over and Benton recovering nicely, now my attention turned to the results of said exam.  I had worked myself into such a frenzy worrying that Benton wouldn't tolerate the exam that I had barely had time to worry what the exam results might say.  Well the optometrist came over and told us that Benton has Stage 3 ROP in his left eye and that his right eye was so hazy that she couldn't tell what stage that eye was in.  This was not good news.

ROP is when the blood vessels in the eye grow too quickly as a result of a high oxygen environment and can cause the retina to detach and lead to blindness.  The stages of ROP go from stage zero to stage five with five being complete retinal detachment.  The diagnosis of Stage 3 ROP means that Benton's eye vessels have created vascularized tissue and the scar tissue is pulling on the retina and it is close to detaching.  Stage three also means that Benton is going to need eye surgery very soon.  In addition, Benton's right eye was difficult to view because it was so hazy.  According to the doctor it is unclear whether this haziness is because his retina has already detached in that eye or if he might have cataracts.  If the retina has already detached, Benton will be blind in that eye. 

As the doctor discussed Benton's condition she explained that a retinal specialist will come to examine Benton's eyes on Thursday and decide how to proceed with surgery.  Once we talk with the retinal specialist we will have a better idea of surgical outcomes and how likely it is that our little boy may be blind or have severe visual impairment.  According to the doctor due to Benton's stage of ROP it's very likely that Benton will have surgery before the end of the week.

 

 

Little cutie's eyes wide open.

Hearing all this news was such a whirlwind.  I am so scared for my little boy to have surgery yet I know its the best chance he has of keeping his vision.  At the same time there is a small part of me that is unafraid because compared to his other life threatening conditions this one could still have a positive outcome where he can live a normal albeit disabled existence.  The emotions coursing through my veins have my nerves all over the place.  I just keep praying that tomorrow's meeting with the retinal specialist goes well and that Benton's eyesight can be saved.

Please keep my little man in your thoughts and prayers.  Keep praying for him to get stronger with each passing day and for his eye exam and surgery to go well.

Benton's new bed all-decked out with firetruck sheets and a car themed swaddle.