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Myopia in premature infants at the age of 6 months
1Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.
Insights
Cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may increase myopia incidence in infants, but the severity of myopia is generally low. Cicatricial ROP is associated with higher myopia incidence and degree.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
- Understanding refractive error development in ROP is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate myopia incidence and degree in premature infants based on ROP course.
- To investigate the impact of cryotherapy on refractive errors in ROP.
Main Methods:
- Cycloplegic refractions were performed on 180 eyes of 99 premature infants at 6 months of age.
- Infants were categorized based on ROP presence, regression (spontaneous or cryotherapy-treated), and cicatricial stages.
- Refractive errors (myopia incidence and diopter degree) were analyzed across these groups.
Main Results:
- Myopia incidence did not differ significantly between infants without ROP and those with spontaneously regressed ROP (36.3% vs. 25.5%).
- Infants with cryotherapy-treated regressed ROP showed a higher myopia incidence (75.5%) but low myopia degree (-3.03 D).
- Infants with cicatricial ROP (cryotreated or not) exhibited high myopia incidence (93.9%) and high myopia degree (-5.50 D).
Conclusions:
- Cryotherapy for ROP appears to increase myopia incidence.
- The degree of myopia induced by cryotherapy is generally low.
- Cicatricial ROP, regardless of cryotherapy, is strongly associated with both high incidence and high degree of myopia.
Abstract:
The authors performed cycloplegic refractions in 180 eyes of 99 premature infants at the age of 6 months to evaluate the incidence and the degree of myopia according to the development and disease course of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and to investigate the effect of cryotherapy on the refractive error. The incidences of myopia were not different between premature infants without ROP and premature infants with spontaneously and totally regressed ROP (36.3%, 25.5%), and the degrees of myopia were low in both groups (-1.76 D, -2.25 D). In premature infants with totally regressed ROP after cryotherapy, the incidence of myopia was high (75.5%) but the degree of myopia was low (-3.03 D). In premature infants with cicatricial ROP, cryotreated or not, both the incidence and the degree of myopia were high (93.9%, -5.50 D). It is suggested that cryotherapy increases the incidence of myopia but the degree of myopia induced by cryotherapy is low.