Our work reveals the impact of hyperglycemia and APN on normal retinal vessel growth in phase I ROP and explores a new therapeutic intervention (stimulation of the APN pathway) at early stages to improve hyperglycemia‐associated retinal neurovascular disorders like retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants with implications for diabetic retinopathy in adults. The gene discussed is ANPEP; the disease is retinopathy of prematurity.