Retinopathy of Prematurity

Abnormal vessel growth in premature infant retinas

Overview

Retinopathy of prematurity, ROP, is a disorder of blood vessel development in the retina of premature infants. Retinal vessels normally grow from the optic nerve toward the periphery during the later months of pregnancy, so in babies born very early the retina is incompletely vascularized. Changes in oxygen levels and growth factors after birth can disrupt this process, leading to abnormal new vessel growth that can scar and detach the retina. The risk is greatest in the most premature and lowest birth weight infants. The condition was first described as retrolental fibroplasia in the 1940s, and an epidemic of blindness in that era was linked in the 1950s to unrestricted use of supplemental oxygen in incubators. Neonatal units now screen at risk infants with retinal examinations, and severe disease is treated with laser ablation of the avascular retina or with anti VEGF injections. Many mild cases regress on their own, though children who had ROP have higher rates of myopia, strabismus, and amblyopia.