In stage 3, extraretinal neovascularization may become severe enough to cause total retinal detachment (Stage 5), which most often leads to blindness.

• A. Stage 4
• B. Stage 3
• C. Stage 5
• D. Stage 2

Answer: (B)

In retinopathy of prematurity, the stage with extraretinal (preretinal) neovascularization is the one that signals progression toward the most severe outcomes. Stage 3 features these abnormal vessels growing beyond the retina into the vitreous. That neovascularization can form fibrous membranes that contract and pull on the retina, leading to retinal detachment. If the detachment becomes total, that is Stage 5, which is most often associated with blindness. So recognizing Stage 3 matters because it marks the point at which neovascularization appears and has the potential to progress to Stage 5. The other stages don’t capture this hallmark: Stage 2 has only a ridge or demarcation without extraretinal vessels; Stage 4 involves partial detachment; Stage 5 is the total detachment itself.