This mainly occurs in the eyes of premature infants. The retina is the part of the eye that receives light. The retina also turns light into pictures that are sent to the brain. The retina is like the film of a camera. The blood vessels that supply the retina are one of the last parts of the eye to develop.
Some premature infants have immature retina.
An immature retina is easily damaged. The abnormal blood vessels may heal completely in the first year of life. The abnormal blood vessels may partially heal. Infants with these conditions should have regular eye exams to check vision. Scar tissue may form and cause some vision problems that are not totally correctable.