| Thirteen-Year Trends in Retinopathy of Prematurity Among High-Risk Preterm Infants Treated in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in South Korea |
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Seok Jae Lee1,4, Seung Han Shin3, Ee-Kyung Kim3, Han-Suk Kim3, Jeong Hun Kim1,2,4,5,6 |
1Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
2Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
3Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
4Fight against Angiogenesis-Related Blindness (FARB) Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
5Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
6Global Excellence Center for Gene & Cell Therapy (GEC-GCT), Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea |
Correspondence:
Seung Han Shin,
Email: revival421@snu.ac.kr
Jeong Hun Kim,
Email: steph25@snu.ac.kr
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Received: 11 February 2026 • Revised: 14 July 2026 • Accepted: 24 July 2026 |
| Abstract |
Purpose
This study aimed to examine trends in the incidence, risk factors, and clinical features of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among high-risk preterm infants in a South Korean neonatal intensive care unit over 13 years.
Methods
A retrospective study included 1114 high-risk preterm infants with gestational age (GA) < 32 weeks or birthweight (BW) < 1500 g, admitted to Seoul National University Children’s Hospital from January 2009 to December 2021. Follow-up eye examinations were conducted at 3 years postnatal age. Trends in ROP incidence, risk factors, and ophthalmic complications were analyzed.
Results
The overall ROP incidence was 37.1% (413/1114), and 17.9% (199/1114) required treatment. Over the study period, GA and BW significantly increased (p<0.05), but no trends were observed for ROP incidence or laser treatment rates. Lower GA, lower BW, and moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) were significant risk factors for treated ROP (p<0.001). Infants treated with laser therapy showed a higher incidence of myopia, astigmatism, anisometropia, strabismus, and cataract at 3 years compared to those with mild or no ROP.
Conclusions
Although mean GA and BW increased over the 13-year period, the incidence of ROP and the proportion requiring treatment did not show a statistically significant temporal decline and exhibited substantial year-to-year variation. Lower GA, lower BW, and moderate to severe BPD were key risk factors for severe ROP. Laser-treated infants experienced more ophthalmic complications, emphasizing the need for long-term ophthalmic monitoring of high-risk preterm infants. |
| Key Words:
Birthweight, Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, Gestational age, Laser photocoagulation, Ophthalmic complications, Retinopathy of prematurity |
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