Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics, and Risk Factors of Retinopathy of Prematurity at the Albert Royer University Hospital of Dakar: A Prospective Study

Introduction: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a serious vasoproliferative disorder and one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in children. Often underestimated due to the lack of systematic screening, it can lead to severe visual impairment. Objective: To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with ROP in the neonatology department of the Albert Royer National Children’s Hospital (CHNEAR). Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, descriptive, and analytical study conducted over 16 months (March 1, 2024 - July 31, 2025). It included premature infants (Results: Of 756 neonatal admissions, 126 newborns were premature and eligible for screening. Among them, 72 underwent a fundus examination: 22 (a prevalence of 30.6% among the preterm infants screened) and 50 (69.4%) had a normal fundus. The mean gestational age was 27.8 weeks, and the birth weight was predominantly less than 1500 g. Recurrent ocular edema (ROE) was bilateral in 59.1% of cases, predominantly in zone 1 (45%) and stage 1 (31.8%). Management consisted of simple observation (50%), medication (9.1%), or surgery (31.8%). Associated risk factors were gestational age Conclusion: The high frequency of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) observed at CHNEAR underscores the need for early and systematic screening, as well as standardized oxygen therapy protocols, to improve the visual prognosis of premature infants.