Professional paper

Retinopathy of Prematurity as a Cause of Blindness in Croatia

Tigrena Csik
Tanja Šimek
Jasna Pavičić-Astaloš
Ivana Merc
Ivan Slugan
Branka Jambrek

Abstract

The aim of our study was to assess the rate of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) as a cause of blindness in Croatia. Data were collected from the registers of the associations of the blind. In our study, we analyzed 25% of the blind population in Croatia (N=1699) including the City of Zagreb, Koprivnica-Križevci County and Međimurje County Associations of the Blind. Data were analyzed according to sex, age and cause of blindness. According to prevalence, ROP ranked tenth as the cause of blindness in the blind population and was the main cause of blindness by age 16. The rate of ROP as a cause of blindness was on a continuous increase over the past two decades (1985-2007). The number of newly registered blind children during the past two-year period (2005-2007) indicated that every 26th day one child in Croatia goes blind because of ROP. Better prevention and treatment of ROP should be developed within the Croatian health care system.

Keywords

Retinopathy of prematurity; Blindness; Association of the Blind

Hrčak ID:

22758

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/22758

Publication date:

1.4.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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