Preemie Eye test (ROP)... how bad is it?

thh

I made the mistake of reading up about the ROP eye test that they are giving my baby early next week.  It sounds absolutely terrible.  How did your babies do afterwards?  The nurses have warned that he may not eat well that day. 

 

april062604

we watched and it was a bit gross but compared to watching them be intubated and extubated it was nothing. ?the dr put drops in their eyes to dialate the pupils and then he put this wire cage thing in their eye to stretch it open wide. ?the babies cried a bit, but didn't scream. ?it made me feel squeamish but it was over really fast. ?he looked in, checked the vessel growth and development and that was it. ?GL. ?and don't watch!

kcswifey

I never watched...I knew it would be upsetting.  My son definitely didn't like it and cried during but was fine afterward.  He occasionally would have a red spot in his eye...he had to have multiple exams.  Good luck!

jlc071903

Just be prepared to do lots of cuddling. My one twin had to have it 3 times and poor thing would have meltdowns after it. She just needed some extra love.

pmkmp

DD hated it.  She screamed, but once it was over she would settle down.  Her eyes would be puffy and sensitive for the rest of the day so the nurses would turn off the lights in that area of the NICU or keep her isolette covered.  We never had problems with her not wanting to eat afterwards, although, I can see it happening.  I wouldn't watch the process if you don't have to.  I had to once and it was creepy.

gymrat

Mine hated it and screamed. Just do a lot of cuddling afterwards. By the 3rd time they had the test they recouped pretty quickly.

KellyMichelle

My DS didn't like it, but he really didn't scream any more about the exam than the dialation drops.  Like the pp said, do not watch it.  I made it all the way through the NICU having never seen it done and then I was watching a show about preemies a year later and saw it.  Yuck, eyes creep me out though.

NotJustAnAuntie

It sucks to watch, but it's over quickly. I avoided being there for the inpatient ones, but had to take him twice after he was home... not fun, but not the worst thing in the world.

Pinaybride2005

DD hated it. She screamed the whole time.  I couldn't bare to look.  My DH had to hold her. 

TriciaJoy

Robbie had several and really didn't mind the exam itself. He just hated the drops. One nurse would do the drops in one eye.. then she'd have to go get another nurse to help her do the 2nd because then he knew what they were up to and would fight like hell.

But the actual eye exam, he just squirmed and whined a little.

I was there for all but one of his and it made me a little nervous, but not so bad. But I was also one who stayed for intubations and IVs and such.

ijack

it is HORRIBLE. E did okay with it when she was still in the hospital and slept all the time, but she had one visit right around her due date and it was horrific. I didn't stay in the room, because I knew better, but DH did and will be traumatized for life.

Mrs. Destructo

I didn't watch the exam until  they were home from the hospital and they needed followup exams... It looks REALLY nasty, but it's over fast and a lot of cuddling makes the babies forget about it just a minute or 2 after it's over.

SBMBride406

I was dreading it but when we went for the test (Marino was maybe 1-2 weeks adjusted) the dr just used his fingers to open his eyes and could see what he was looking for (that all the blood vessels were formed? something like that), so he didn't need to hook up the torture device. Maybe you'll get lucky too:)

KLyn

we did this yesterday and my boys did NOT like it, but they only prop open the eye with the clamp for a few minutes and then it's over. ?It wasn't pleasant to watch but it wasn't awful either. ?They ate fine and have been fine ever since.