02/26/2026
This month’s image is a wide-angle fundus image of peripheral confluent scars years after treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Vitreous hemorrhage obscures the posterior pole, which may be an indication of vitreoretinal traction. Premature infants with risk factors of low birthweight, early gestational age, and unregulated oxygenation in the neonatal period are at risk of blinding complications of abnormal retinal vascular development from ROP. In select cases, treatment in infancy to ablate peripheral ischemic retina by cryotherapy or near-confluent laser photocoagulation is necessary to reduce the risk of severe vision loss. Late complications of ROP can include retinal traction, tears, and detachment. Detachment in ROP eyes can be particularly difficult to treat because they commonly have an abnormal vitreoretinal interface.
Image by Krystal Houseman of Palmetto Retina Center.
