Part UT Health San Antonio
UT Health San AntonioUT Health San Antonio

UTSA Part of UT Health San Antonio

Contact Us | 210-450-9000

Menu
  • Find a Provider
  • Services
  • Cancer Types
  • Locations
  • Patient Care
  • Cancer Center
  • MyChart
  • X
  • Conditions
  • Conditions In-depth
  • Procedures
  • Wellness Centers
  • Natural & Alternative
  • Drug Info
  • Procedure Animations
  • Wellness Videos
Symptom CheckerQuick Nav
 
Health Library Home>Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets>Article

Retinopathy of Prematurity

(ROP; Retrolental Fibroplasia; RLF)

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA
Definition
Causes
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention

Definition

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a rare eye disorder that happens in infants who are premature or have low birthweight. This problem happens when blood vessels in the tissue (retina) that lines the back of the eye grow abnormally. This can lead to vision problems. Early treatment can improve outcomes.

Normal Anatomy of the Eye

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Causes

ROP happens when blood vessels in the retina do not develop as they should. It is not known why this happens in some infants.

Risk Factors

Things that may raise the risk of this problem are:

  • Premature birth, especially babies born before 28 weeks of pregnancy
  • Low birth weight, especially babies weighing less than three pounds
  • The use of supplemental oxygen, too much oxygen, or changing oxygen levels in the body
  • Low levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in the blood
  • High blood glucose
  • Poor nutritional status

Symptoms

There are usually no signs of ROP until it reaches a severe stage. Problems may be:

  • White pupils
  • Abnormal eye movements
  • Eyes that cross and turn toward each other

Diagnosis

An eye exam will be given to infants born prematurely or those with low birth weight. The retinas will be viewed. This is enough to make the diagnosis.

Treatment

Mild ROP will usually heal on its own. An eye doctor will watch for any changes during this time.

The goal of treating severe ROP is to lower the risk of the retina detaching and causing vision loss. Treatment options are:

  • Cryosurgery—freezing tissue in the eye to prevent the spread of abnormal blood vessels
  • Laser ablation/photocoagulation—using a laser to stop abnormal blood vessels from growing

Prevention

The best way to prevent ROP is to lower the risk of premature birth with good prenatal care.

RESOURCES:

Healthy Children—American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.healthychildren.org

National Eye Institute
http://www.nei.nih.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Ophthalmology Society
http://www.eyesite.ca

Canadian Pediatric Society
http://www.cps.ca

REFERENCES:

Retinopathy of prematurity. National Eye Institute website. Available at: http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/rop. Accessed August 31, 2021.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/retinopathy-of-prematurity-rop-20. Accessed August 31, 2021.

Last reviewed July 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Kari Kuenn, MD  Last Updated: 8/31/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.

Copyright ©  EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy
Physicians and care providers of
UT Health San Antonio

8300 Floyd Curl Dr.

San Antonio, TX 78229

210-450-9000

Connect with us
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Language Assistance
We make lives better ©

We're a part of UT Health San Antonio, provider of comprehensive health,  dental, &  cancer care,  advanced academics  and  life-saving research.

Web Privacy | Links from websites affiliated with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's website (uthscsa.edu) to other websites do not constitute or imply university endorsement of those sites, their content, or products and services associated with those sites. The content on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Health information on this site is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat conditions. Consult a health care provider if you are in need of treatment.