Intravitreal Ranibizumab to Treat Retinopathy of Prematurity Stage 3 Plus Disease

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a neovascular retinal disorder of premature born children, characterized by the development of retinal neovascularisation, macular dragging and eventually retinal detachment. ROP is a leading cause for childhood blindness, especially in developing countries. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the development of the disease. Recently, the BEAT ROP study tested the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab for stage 3 plus ROP in a prospective, controlled, randomized, stratified, multicenter trial. Authors found that bevacizumab showed a significant benefit for Zone I but not Zone II disease, with continuation of peripheral retinal vessel growths after treatment. The authors also concluded that safety could not be assessed due to the small sample size. Other authors raised concerns regarding the results of the BEAT ROP study and the safety of bevacizumab.

The investigators suspected a better safety profile for ranibizumab to treat stage 3 plus ROP. Here we present the outcome of 6 eyes with ROP stage 3 plus treated with a single injection of ranibizumab.