This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Decrease seen in number of eyes progressing to stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
WAILEA, Hawaii — Since implementing Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity guidelines in 2003, there has been a decrease from 10.3% to 1.9% in the numbers of eyes that have developed stage 5 retinal detachment, a study has shown.
"This result underscores the importance of adoption of the revised indications for treatment," Aaron M. Alme, MD, winner of the 2008 Bausch & Lomb Retina Fellows' Forum Research Award, said at the American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting here.
 Aaron M. Alme |
"The Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity showed that 44% of eyes with a history of severe ROP had a visual acuity at age 10 years of 20/200 or worse," Dr. Alme said, which prompted implementation of the ETROP guidelines.
Five hundred eighty-one patients were examined before implementation of ETROP guidelines, and 464 were examined after implementation. The average estimated gestational age at birth was 26.3 weeks in the before group and 25.2 weeks in after group, with average birth weights of 888 g and 707 g, respectively.
The percentage of infants having treatment increased from 5% to 11.4% when the revised indications were adopted, Dr. Alme said.
"Despite possible over-treatment, structural outcomes have improved, suggesting that the benefit of treating ROP in high-risk prethreshold disease outweighs the possible risk of over-treatment," Dr. Alme said.