What is ROP?

Retinopathy of prematurity occurs in premature newborns. The retinal vasculature is still forming at birth, starting from the optic nerve and radiating outwards towards the ora serrata. If a child is born early, then there are areas of the retina that are now working, but don’t have a rich enough blood supply to get the job done. Thus, large areas of the retina become ischemic.

Ischemia in the retina promotes VEGF production in the eye. VEGF is a bad cytokine, as it induces the growth of abnormal vessels that can bleed, scar, and ultimately cause retinal detachments.

We screen newborn children for ROP, and laser the peripheral retina to decrease the VEGF production if needed.