Retrolental Fibroplasia

Effect of Oxygen on Developing Retinal Vessels with Particular Reference to the Problem of Retrolental Fibroplasia

“…As regards low concentrations of oxygen, lesions resembling retrolental fibroplasia have been produced in the offspring of mice subjected to an anoxic insult during pregnancy (Ingalls and others, 1952). Most workers, however, investigated the effect of high concentrations of oxygen: Coxon (1952) stated that attempts to produce retrolental fibroplasia in newborn rabbits by exposing them to oxygen concentrations of 70-80 per cent. were unsuccessful, whereas Gyllensten and Hellstrom (1952) succeeded in producing intra-ocular haemorrhages and hyperplastic vitreous changes in newborn mice by exposing them intermittently to 100 per cent.…”

Retrolental Fibroplasia

“…On the other hand, instances of retrolental fibroplasia in babies who had had no oxygen therapy have been recorded (Bembridge and others, 1952).…”

Control of Concentration of Oxygen in Tents for Premature Babies

“…It has been feared that too high a concentration of oxygen may be harmful (Smith, 1950), and various writers have considered whether retrolental fibroplasia, which causes much blindness among smaller premature babies, has not been brought about by giving them too high concentrations of oxygen (Minton and Cole, 1951;Bembridge et al, 1952). Szewczyk (1951) suggests that it is the sudden diminution of oxygen concentration which occurs when a baby is removed from an atmosphere of 60% to 70% oxygen which induces the disease.…”