Retinopathy of Prematurity: An old problem comes calling again

That retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is occurring with increasing frequency in transitional economies is no longer debatable. Recognizing this fact, the World Health Organization has identified ROP as a leading cause of vision impairment in children in the developing world. Others have identified ROP as an important, increasingly common, and potentially treatable condition in emerging economies. No doubt, improvements in neonatal care in various regions of the world are allowing smaller infants to survive. The question is, what constitutes a low birthweight infant in an emerging economy? To answer this question requires information on the demographics of ROP in these regions.

Free PMC article. PMCID: PMC1857945