Tear-based screening test soon for childhood blinding condition
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the most common serious eye complications that occurs in premature babies. It can lead to incomplete blood vessel growth in the retina, and eventual loss of vision. A group of researchers in Hyderabad have identified a biomarker that can help in detecting the risk of ROP from just a drop of tear.
Premature babies are administered oxygen to help them survive in incubators. This process, however, has to be monitored carefully as overexposure to oxygen can be highly toxic to blood vessels including those in the retina. Overexposure to oxygen in neonatal care is a major cause of ROP. Low oxygen levels in the retina when the child is out of incubator cause abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, which in turn causes loss of neurons and vision lo...