advanced retinopathy of prematurity at poostchi rop clinic, shiraz

purpose: to evaluate patients with advanced retinopathy of prematurity (rop) among neonates referred to poostchi rop clinic in shiraz from march 2006 to february 2008. methods: among referred infants to poostchi clinic for screening and management of rop, medical records of patients with advanced rop (stage 5) at initial examination or during disease progression were evaluated. information regarding gestational age, time of diagnosis, follow-up programs and causes of delayed screening were recorded. findings: overall, 20 patients (11 male, 9 female) out of 1024 reffered neonates had advanced rop which was unilateral in 3 (15%) and bilateral in 17 (85%) patients. advanced rop was due to late diagnosis and treatment in 17 (85%) patients and treatment failure in 3 (15%) patients. main causes of delayed diagnosis were uninformed parents in 10 (50%) patients, misdiagnosis by an ophthalmologist in 3 (15%) patients, socioeconomic problems and parental ignorance in 3 (15%) patients and poor systemic condition of the neonate in 1 (5%) patient. conclusion: the main cause of visual loss due to advanced rop is uninformed parents and health care providers as well as absence of an organized screening program.