Retinal Detachment after Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity with Laser versus Intravitreal Anti–Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

To compare rates of short-term retinal detachment (RD) of infants treated for type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy with infants treated with laser therapy. The choice between these 2 treatments remains controversial. Comparative data are limited and describe re-treatment rates rather than retinal structural outcomes predictive of long-term vision. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor acts faster than laser therapy, which may be beneficial for more aggressive ROP.Nonrandomized, comparative cohort study.The study included 1167 eyes of 640 infants treated for type 1 ROP. Among these, 164 eyes received anti-VEGF therapy and 1003 eyes received laser therapy.Pretreatment and posttreatment examinations and treatments were completed by ophthalmologists with expertise in ROP. The study was a secondary analysis of data from the retrospective Postnatal Growth and Retinopathy of Prematurity Study (G-ROP) 1 study (2006-2012) and the prospective G-ROP 2 study (2015-2017).Rate of RD (ROP stages 4A, 4B, or 5) within 8 weeks of initial treatment, an end point predictive of poor long-term vision. The results were stratified by postmenstrual age (PMA) at treatment as occurring before versus at or after 36 weeks and 0 days, because earlier disease may be considered more aggressive.Among 458 eyes treated before PMA 36 weeks and 0 days, the short-term RD rate was higher after laser therapy (29/368 eyes [7.9%]) than after anti-VEGF therapy (0/90 eyes [0%]; P < 0.001). Of 709 eyes treated at or after PMA 36 weeks and 0 days, short-term RD risk did not differ between groups (laser [20/635 eyes], 3.1%; anti-VEGF [1/74 eyes], 1.4%; P = 0.27).Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy results in better short-term structural outcomes than laser therapy when type 1 ROP is treated before 36 weeks' PMA. After this age, both treatments have very low rates of short-term RD. The faster action of anti-VEGF agents likely is responsible for these findings.