A significant portion of patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) experience spontaneous regression without causing damage to the retina. However, in some patients, the disease progresses and requires treatment due to the risk of retinal detachment. To allow timely intervention, it is very important that premature infants are monitored regularly until retinal vascularization is complete.
Treatment may involve laser therapy or intravitreal drug injections. In rare cases, ROP may progress despite timely intervention, leading to retinal detachment. Retinal detachment due to ROP can be treated with vitrectomy and/or scleral buckling, but the visual prognosis in these patients is generally poor.
A significant portion of patients whose ROP regresses spontaneously or who are treated for ROP may develop refractive errors such as myopia or astigmatism, as well as strabismus and amblyopia within 6–10 years. Therefore, premature infants should continue to be examined at regular intervals by a pediatric ophthalmologist even after ROP has regressed.
A significant portion of patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) experience spontaneous regression without causing damage to the retina. However, in some patients, the disease progresses and requires treatment due to the risk of retinal detachment. To allow timely intervention, it is very important that premature infants are monitored regularly until retinal vascularization is complete.
Treatment may involve laser therapy or intravitreal drug injections. In rare cases, ROP may progress despite timely intervention, leading to retinal detachment. Retinal detachment due to ROP can be treated with vitrectomy and/or scleral buckling, but the visual prognosis in these patients is generally poor.
A significant portion of patients whose ROP regresses spontaneously or who are treated for ROP may develop refractive errors such as myopia or astigmatism, as well as strabismus and amblyopia within 6–10 years. Therefore, premature infants should continue to be examined at regular intervals by a pediatric ophthalmologist even after ROP has regressed.