ROP babies should be screened at 12 months

It is recommended that all babies with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) be screened at 12 months to identify amblyogenic factors such as squint and refractive error, according to a report published in the January/February issue of the European Journal of Ophthalmology.

Elizabeth Cosgrave and colleagues from Ipswich Hospital, Suffolk, UK retrospectively reviewed the case notes of 211 babies for birth details, maternal details, presence of ROP, and for the findings of follow-up screenings.

At one-year follow-up, 16.6% of ROP positive children failed a screening visit because of squint (6.66%), refractive error (6.66%) and optic nerve abnormalities (3.33%).

It is therefore advised that babies with ROP be screened at 12 months in order to identify amblyogenic factors.