Retinopathy Of Prematurity: Current Understanding And Future Prospects

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding disease. ROP continues to be a leading cause of blindness of newborn in areas of the world that provide neonatal intensive care services to premature newborns. The aim of this review is to evaluate the new technical improvements and treatment modalities under current data. Increased number of Newborn Intensive Care Units leads to survive of incerased number of immature babies which in turn leads to increased number of premature infants to be screened and eyes to be treated. Although the current gold standart of screening method is examination by an experienced opthalmolog with binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy, a new debate arose that claims digital retinal photographs may be taken and evaluated in the remote reading centers by experienced ophthalmologists. On the other hand intravitreal injection of single dose of anti-VEGF may replace the more destructive cryotherapy and laser at the treatment aspect. Recent technical and medical improvements may induce major changes at the screening and treatment protocols of PR.