Eye
Retina
Retinopathy of prematurity
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 1 February 2014
Last staff update: 10 May 2024
Copyright: 2004-2025, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Retrolental fibroplasia [title] retina
Cite this page: Pernick N. Retinopathy of prematurity. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/eyeretinaretrolentalfibroplasia.html. Accessed April 2nd, 2025.
Definition / general
- Also called retinopathy of prematurity
- Previously was leading cause of blindness in US
- Occurs in premature infants given oxygen therapy; related to level and duration of oxygen, degree of prematurity at birth and status as carrier for defect in Norrie disease gene
- Immature vessels of premature infants are damaged by high or even physiologic oxygen; rarely occurs in term infants
Pathophysiology
- Oxygen therapy causes vasoconstriction and obliteration of immature retinal vessels in lateral (temporal) retina which causes ischemia and failure of retina to vascularize
- Then vasoproliferative phase and angiogenesis
- Vessels grow into vitreous or leak serum or fluid, 25% have associated scarring which causes retinal detachment
