One-Year Review of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Cyprus: Risk Factors and Screening Effectiveness

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in Cyprus and evaluate the validity of United Kingdom-based screening criteria on the population. The findings aimed to optimize ROP screening guidelines for improved neonatal care.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 183 children undergoing ROP screening from January to December 2023 in the only tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in Cyprus.

Results: A total of 33 infants developed ROP (18%) and 11 of these had vision-threatening ROP. Nine infants received treatment and two died prior to treatment. The youngest infant with ROP was born at 24 weeks of gestation and the oldest was born at 32 weeks. Gestational age, birth weight, sepsis, and long oxygen duration have a strong association with ROP, whereas race, multiple births, blood transfusion, and other operations in the neonatal age are not associated with ROP. Every week of increase in gestational age is correlated with reduction in ROP incidence. The severe prematurity group born at 24 to 28 weeks had the highest risk of vision-threatening disease.

Conclusions: Based on the analysis of a cohort of 183 preterm infants who underwent ROP screening over 1 year in the only tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit in Cyprus, the authors concluded that the 2008 United Kingdom ROP screening criteria are appropriate and valid for this population because no cases of treatment-requiring ROP were missed. The findings indicate that the severity of prematurity is the primary determinant of ROP risk, whereas other independent risk factors appear to have a comparatively lesser impact on the development of ROP. Importantly, this represents the first epidemiological study of ROP in Cyprus, providing a nationally representative assessment of ROP incidence and screening effectiveness.