Often, this problem goes away on its own as your baby grows up. Your doctor may want you to take your baby to an eye doctor if your baby has this problem. ROP usually only occurs in babies who are born very early, at 32 weeks of pregnancy or earlier. If there's a chance your baby has ROP, your doctor will advise you to take the baby for regular check-ups by an eye doctor. ROP can be treated to help prevent vision loss.
Premature babies are also more likely than full-term babies to have hearing problems.
If you notice that your baby doesn't seem to hear you, tell your doctor so your baby can be checked for hearing problems. You can check your baby's hearing by making noises behind or to the side of the baby. If your baby doesn't turn his or her head, or jump at a loud noise, you should tell your doctor. Your baby might be helped by getting a flu shot when she or he reaches 6 months of age. Premature babies might get sicker with the flu than full-term babies.