In this condition abnormal blood vasculature occurs in retina which can cause bleeding inside eye, tractional retinal detachment(TRD).
Who are at risk?
1)premature,low birth weight infants.
2)very sick infants who had respiratory distress syndrome & who were kept in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for longer duration
3)Infants who were given oxygen for a longer duration
4)Infants who were given surfactant & steroids for maturation of lungs in case of respiratory distress syndrome where lungs are immature at birth
Initially a ridge forms in peripheral retina.Then popcorn vessels form.If we diagnose the condition at early stage,laser Rx is to be done as early as possible.Laser burns are placed as confluent.After this ROP may regress
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may regress completely or leave sequelae ranging from mild myopia ,squint to bilateral total blindness due to TRD or combined RD.Premature babies with ROP have higher rates of myopia and strabismus than those without ROP. Long-term follow-up of these babies is important for early detection and treatment of these ocular problems. TIMELY RECOGNITION AND TREATMENT OF retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the cornerstone to improving chances for preserving vision in premature infants.Neonatologists, ophthalmologists, and their patients will have to work in coordination to detect ROP babies & treat them.
Neonatologists should monitor oxygen strictly in NICU(Neonatal ICU).
Blockage of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) during pregnancy can cause serious dysfunction of many organs of the foetus and newborn. Angiotensin II is an angiogenic factor and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors prevent retinal neovascularisation and their use in preventing proliferative retinopathy of prematurity has been suggested
Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab,pegaptanib seems to be associated with reduced neovascularization & trials are going on
