Eye and Brain (May 2016)
Advances in diagnosis, clinical care, research, and treatment in retinopathy of prematurity
Abstract
M Elizabeth Hartnett,1–3 Antonio Capone Jr4,5 1Vitreoretinal Surgery, John A. Moran Eye Center, 2Department of Ophthalmology, 3Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, and Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 4Associated Retina Consultants, Royal Oak, 5Department of Ophthalmology, Oakland University William Beaumont Hospital School of Medicine, Auburn Hills, MI, USAThe appearance of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has changed throughout the world and since the first description of “retrolental fibroplasia” in 1942. However, despite advances in neonatal care and the abilities to improve the survival of ever younger and smaller premature infants, ROP remains a leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide. We know that ROP is complex in that it is influenced by genetic predisposition, epigenetic regulation, and environmental risks. It is strongly associated with extreme degrees of prematurity, and the “phenotype” of ROP depends on resources available to support premature infants with adequate nutrition and regulation of oxygen, as examples. New studies also suggest that what is seen in the preterm infant retina may portend later neurodevelopmental outcomes. Therefore, we believe this is a needed time to revisit ROP and provide a thematic issue focused on ROP from several perspectives.
