Treatment

Prevention is difficult in the absence of definitive aetiological data. Continuous monitoring and control of the administration of oxygen is often advocated but a safe concentration of arterial oxygen has yet to be defined and these measures are not necessarily effective.

Advanced retinopathy may be treated by:

• cryosurgery - thought to reduce retinal ischaemia and the release of an angiogenic factor which may trigger the disease process. Rarely, causes systemic and ocular complications such as bradycardia, apnoea, periorbital oedema and late onset retinal detachment
• laser treatment - as effective as cryosurgery and without the complications
• scleral buckling and vitrectomy - for retinal traction and detachment