PERSPECTIVE

Retinopathy of prematurity: recent advances in our understanding

C M Wheatley¹, J L Dickinson², D A Mackey³, J E Craig³, M M Sale²

¹ Discipline of Biochemistry, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
² Menzies Centre for Population Health Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
³ Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Michéle Sale, PhD, Menzies Centre for Population Health Research, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252-23, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia;
Michele.Sale{at}utas.edu.au

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has been recognised as an important cause of childhood visual impairment and blindness since the 1940s when improved facilities and treatment increased the survival rate of premature infants. Although its incidence and severity have been decreasing in developed countries over the past two decades, both are increasing in developing nations. ROP is consequently targeted as an important but avoidable disease. This review provides an updated summary and discussion of much of the work that has been produced through population, animal, cell culture, and genetic research. The authors examine the prevalence, risk factors, and possible causes of the disease with a particular focus on genetic studies. They conclude that while significant reductions in the disease have occurred in developed countries, further research is required to fully understand and prevent the disease. In the meantime, development and implementation of appropriate screening and treatment strategies will be critical in reducing blindness in developing countries.

Keywords: retinopathy of prematurity; children

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kamholz, K. L., Cole, C. H., Gray, J. E., Zupancic, J. A. F. (2009). Cost-effectiveness of Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity. Pediatrics 123: 262-269 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lad, E M, Nguyen, T C, Morton, J M, Moshfeghi, D M (2008). Retinopathy of prematurity in the United States. Br J Ophthalmol 92: 320-325 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• van Wijngaarden, P., Brereton, H. M., Coster, D. J., Williams, K. A. (2007). Genetic Influences on Susceptibility to Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy. IOVS 48: 1761-1766 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Msall, M. E. (2006). The retina as a window to the brain in vulnerable neonates.. Pediatrics 117: 2287-2289 [Full Text]  
• Boyle, E M, Freer, Y, Khan-Orakzai, Z, Watkinson, M, Wright, E, Ainsworth, J R, McIntosh, N (2006). Sucrose and non-nutritive sucking for the relief of pain in screening for retinopathy of prematurity: a randomised controlled trial. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 91: F166-F168 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Loeliger, M., Duncan, J., Louey, S., Cock, M., Harding, R., Rees, S. (2005). Fetal Growth Restriction Induced by Chronic Placental Insufficiency Has Long-Term Effects on the Retina but Not the Optic Nerve. IOVS 46: 3300-3308 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vedantham, V, Ratnagiri, P K (2003). Causes of severe visual impairment and blindness in children in Ethiopia. Br J Ophthalmol 87: 1432-1432 [Full Text]