[Retinopathy of prematurity--pathogenesis and prevalence].

INTRODUCTION

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal disease in premature newborns. The etiology of this disease is complex and not fully understood. For many years, ROP was the main cause of blindness and impairment of visual acuity in prematurely born children in Poland. Progress in neonatal medicine helps save the life of increasingly more neonates with extremely low birthweight but at the same time ROP is observed more often. Today, ROP has grown to the chief problem in contemporary pediatric ophthalmology. Therefore, it is crucial from the medical and economic point of view to understand, prevent, and manage ROP.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study focuses on the epidemiology, etiology, and pathogenesis of ROP. Information on ophthalmologic screening in Poland is also provided.