Retinopathy of prematurity promising newer modalities of treatment

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disorder of neonatal retinal vascularization. The incidence is increasing in developing countries like India in view of the rising numbers of preterm deliveries and improved neonatal care. Traditional modalities of treatment included cryotherapy and laser therapy, which were laborious and required special training. Hence, research is on way to find novel treatment modalities directed at various levels of pathogenesis for this blinding disease. We reviewed the published and unpublished literature on newer methods of ROP management. The pathogenesis of ROP has been studied with respect to the mediators of angiogenesis. Anti vascular endothelial growth factor (Anti-VEGF) therapy has been extensively studied and the studies have demonstrated its promising role early stages of ROP. The role of Insulin like growth factor (IGF), Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF), and June kinases (JNK) inhibitors are being studied by various researchers across the world. Gene therapy holds promise in the reversal of ROP changes.