Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal disorder that affects premature infants and is defined by aberrant retinal blood vessel proliferation. One of the first therapies for ROP was laser therapy. Intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) is a recently advanced therapy that can reverse neovascularization and increase retinal stability. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of IVR and laser treatment for ROP management. Online search was carried out using four databases including PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Ovid. No search filters were used, and the search encompassed the period from inception till September 2024. The search terms included “intravitreal ranibizumab” AND “retinopathy of prematurity” AND “laser treatment”. The systematic review selection process started with the identification of 128 records. After removing duplicates and screening the titles and abstracts, five studies were included in the final review and analysis. This meta-analysis demonstrated that while IVR is effective in treating ROP and potentially preserves peripheral retina, it is associated with a higher recurrence rate in comparison to laser therapy. Laser therapy remains a robust option with lower recurrence rates, though it might impact peripheral vision. The combination of IVR with other modalities, such as zone I sparing laser treatment or photocoagulation, as suggested by recent studies, might offer a balanced approach that addresses both disease management and retinal preservation. Such combined strategies could help mitigate recurrence and improve long-term outcomes.

Key words: Efficacy, intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR), laser treatment, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), systematic review