Unit 5: Children & Squint
5. Retinopathy of prematurity
Introduction
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) describes abnormal retinal changes that can occur in preterm babies.
- The supplementary oxygen required by preterm infants contributes to the development of ROP.
- The retina has no blood vessels until the fourth month of gestation - blood vessels derived from the optic disc then grow towards the peripheral retina.
- The ocular complications range from mild peripheral vascular changes to advanced retinal scarring.
- >50% of babies <1000g birth weight will have some ROP
Reproduced from Retinopathy of prematurity, Clare M Wilson, Alistair R Fielder, BMJ 2008;337:a2648, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.