Purpose

ROP – retinopathy of prematurity is a disease of the retina and the vitreous body of premature infants, especially born before 28 weeks of intrauterine life (71%), rare till 33 weeks of pregnancy (7.6%) (1, 2). The pathogenesis is involved with damage of immature vessels of the retina. The disease seems to self-regress in 80%. According to stage of changes of the retina there could be some complications of the organ of vision like: refractive errors, disturbances of eyeball movement, poor vision or even blindness (19.01%). ROP is now second (after atrophy of the optic nerve) cause of blindness in children (3). Aim of our study was the analysis of the results of laser-treatment in ROP in West Pomeranian region in years 2003-2005 and estimation of the risk factors of advanced stages of ROP.

Material and methods

Since January 2003 to June 2005 in Outpatients Clinic for Premature Infants of the Ophthalmology Department of The West Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin we have examined 708 children. 40 premature infants (78 eyes) were treated with panphotocoagulation of the retina because of advanced ROP. We have used the Ocu-Lights SL laser, manufactured by Iris Medical.

Results

Laser treatment caused regression of ROP in 88.5% of children. In 11.5% the progression of ROP caused secondary retina detachment.

Conclusions

Respiratory failure, anemia, infections and multi-organ inflammations increase the risk of ROP. Good results of laser treatment depend of beginning of the therapy in the right stage of ROP. On the final results of treatment could have got the influence both: immaturity of the child and the showed risk of factors.