University of Gothenburg study finds eye drops may prevent blindness in premature infants

Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital have conducted the world’s first randomized clinical study investigating whether corticosteroid eye drops can slow the progression of severe eye disease in extremely premature infants.

The study, known as DROPROP, focused on Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), a condition where retinal blood vessels develop abnormally. ROP causes blindness in approximately 35,000 children globally each year. Currently, severe cases often require invasive laser treatments or eye injections to prevent vision loss.

In the multicenter Swedish study, 100 infants born before the 30th week of pregnancy were randomized to receive either dexamethasone eye drops or a placebo. Results indicated that 20 percent of the children receiving dexamethasone developed ROP requiring treatment, compared to 38 percent in the placebo group. This represents a 47 percent reduction in relative risk. While the difference did not reach statistical significance, researchers noted a significant clinical impact, suggesting the treatment is a simple, low-cost, and non-invasive option to reduce the need for more destructive procedures.