Cataract and Glaucoma in Retinopathy of Prematurity

Effective treatment is now available for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) using anti-VEFG (vascular endothelial growth factor) injections into the vitreous cavity or laser ablation to the peripheral retina. Cryotherapy was the first proven treatment for ROP but is now rarely used. Scleral buckling and/or vitrectomy surgery may be indicated for severe ROP with retinal detachment (RD). While ROP is well known for damaging the posterior eye structures such as the retina and vitreous, ROP and its treatment can also predispose patients to the development of anterior segment conditions, including glaucoma (Hittner et al. Ophthalmology 1979;86(5):803–816) and cataract (Wilson and Trivedi, Pediatric cataract surgery: techniques, complications, and management, 2014).