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Global, regional and national patterns in ROP research up to the pre-COVID-19 era: A systematic bibliometric review

Juliana Palacio Varona1, Ana María Rojas Manjarres2, María Isabel Gómez-Buitrago1

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.

European Journal of Ophthalmology
|January 28, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Research on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a cause of childhood blindness, is concentrated in high-income countries. Global disparities persist in ROP research output and impact, highlighting the need for increased capacity in underrepresented regions.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Public Health
  • Bibliometrics

Background:

  • Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a primary cause of preventable childhood blindness, disproportionately affecting preterm infants.
  • Global disparities in neonatal care and research infrastructure create inequities in ROP scientific production and visibility.
  • Understanding these global patterns is crucial for addressing ROP worldwide.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and characterize global, regional, and national research patterns on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) from 1950 to 2020.
  • To analyze temporal trends, geographic distribution, thematic focus, and citation impact of ROP research.
  • To identify disparities in ROP research output and visibility across different global regions.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic bibliometric review was conducted using data from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO.
  • A total of 4,932 eligible articles published between 1950 and 2020 were analyzed.
  • Analysis included publication volume, geographic origin, research themes, and citation impact.

Main Results:

  • The majority of ROP research originated from the Region of the Americas (44.2%), Europe (28.0%), and the Western Pacific (16.0%).
  • High-income countries produced 73.4% of the research, with significant underrepresentation from lower-income nations.
  • Key research themes included risk/protective factors (25.0%) and treatment/outcomes (23.5%), while surveillance and public health policy studies were scarce (6.3%).
  • Scientific output surged post-1980s, with recent rapid growth in Asia.
  • Citation analysis revealed significant regional inequalities, with high-income regions dominating global citations and per-article impact.

Conclusions:

  • ROP research is heavily concentrated in high-income countries, reflecting global disparities in scientific production and visibility.
  • Strengthening research capacity in underrepresented regions is vital for equitable evidence generation.
  • Addressing these disparities is essential for informed global eye health decision-making and ROP prevention efforts.

Keywords:
PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY.ROPRetinopathy of prematuritybibliometric analysishealth economicsresearch

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