title: Laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: Retinal development involves a complex coordination of events that may be affected by premature delivery, leading to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a potential blinding childhood disease. The avascular retina drives further disease progression, with laser ablation reducing unfavorable anatomic outcomes as well as maintaining visual acuity. Trials have stressed the importance of early identification and treatment of threshold and high-risk prethreshold disease to improve outcomes. Retinal ablation with laser photocoagulation should involve entire treatment of avascular retina with a confluent laser spot density, avoiding skip lesions. The current review highlights the use of laser photocoagulation in the treatment of ROP.
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, 900 North West 17th Street, Miami, FL 33136, USA. shouston@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Samuel K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Houston
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wykoff
authors.forename: Audina M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Berrocal
authors.forename: Ditte J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*