"Breastfeeding a premature infant may help reduce the risk of a serious eye problem known as retinopathy of prematurity ROP new research suggests. The researchers said that when babies were exclusively fed breast milk the risk of anystage ROP appeared to drop by about  percent. And the risk of severe ROP seemed to be reduced by  percent the researchers added. Human milk feeding potentially plays a strong role in protecting very preterm newborns from anystage ROP and severe ROP the international team of study authors wrote. Retinopathy of prematurity causes blood vessels to grow in the retina the lightsensitive tissue in the back of the eye. When the vessels grow they can cause the retina to detach destroying vision according to the U.S. National Eye Institute. For the study researchers from China Canada and the United Kingdom reanalyzed the results of five published studies on ROP. The studies included more than  preterm infants comparing how often babies had been fed human milk or formula and whether or not they developed ROP. However the new analysis only showed an association between breast milk and a reduced risk of ROP. It did not prove a causeandeffect relationship due to the studys design. Results of the study were published online Nov.  in Pediatrics. Extremely preterm babies are most at risk of ROP. In the United States  percent of babies born at  to  weeks have the disorder said study researcher Dr. Chao Chen a neonatologist at Childrens Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai. He added that in China a previous study showed the incidence of ROP was  percent in infants with a birth weight under  grams . pounds. ROP has become a leading cause of childhood blindness in recent time Chen said. In general there are more ROP cases in developed countries but more severe cases and higher rates of blindness in developing countries. The greater incidence of ROP is likely due to the increasing survival rate of very preterm babies in developed countries according to Chen. In developing countries preterm babies are less likely to survive. When they do the screening and treatments are not as good Chen said so blindness may be more likely. Babies in the studies had a range of gestational ages from  to about  weeks. Their weights ranged from about . pounds to about  pounds. No information was given about how long the breastfeeding continued. In reevaluating the studies Chens team found that breastfeeding in any amount appeared to reduce the risk of ROP. And it appeared that the more breast milk the better. Exclusive breastfeeding seemed to drop the odds of ROP by  percent compared to exclusive formula use. And any breastfeeding appeared to reduce the odds of the serious eye disease by  percent the research showed. How might human milk offer protection from the eye disorder The antioxidants in human milk may help Chen said. Human milk also has immuneprotective properties the researchers said. Breastfeeding also seems to help prevent two conditions known as sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis that may require oxygen therapy which has also been linked to a higher risk of ROP the study authors said. Dr. Adolfo Llanos a neonatologist at Nicklaus Childrens Hospital in Miami who was not involved with the new study said the quality of this analysis is very good. Its reassuring to see the benefit we see with breast milk.  He said breast milk may help by reducing inflammation in the body. Preemies dont regulate inflammation in their bodies well he said. Llanos cautioned that the study looked only at a mothers own breast milk not donor milk which can be used when the biological mother doesnt have enough of her own breast milk. The takeaway from this study Llanos said is to breastfeed as long as possible if possible. More information To learn more about breastfeeding visit American Academy of Pediatrics https SOURCES Chao Chen M.D. Ph.D. neonatologist Childrens Hospital of Fudan University Shanghai China Adolfo Llanos M.D. neonatologist Nicklaus Childrens Hospital Miami Fla. December  Pediatrics"