Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a serious neovascular disorder of increasing global burden. Propranolol is effective for ROP but its clinical use remains under debate due to limited evidence.

Oral propranolol (1.5–2.0 mg/kg/day) has the highest probability of reducing risk of disease progression and need for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and laser therapies, with a trend towards best values when given at stages 2–3 of ROP according to Bayesian forest and surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) analyses and a model-based network meta-analysis.

Bayesian analysis showed ocular propranolol (0.2%) to be as efficacious as oral propranolol. Oral but not ocular propranolol augmented the risk difference of adverse events.