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Ophthalmic impairment at 7 years of age in children born very preterm

R W I Cooke1, L Foulder-Hughes, D Newsham

  • 1Department of Child Health, University of Liverpool, Institute of Child Health, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital, Liverpool, UK. mc19@liv.ac.uk

Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition
|April 23, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Very preterm infants show higher rates of vision problems, linked to developmental delays. These ophthalmic impairments in children born prematurely may stem from generalized brain development issues.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Preterm birth is a significant risk factor for various developmental issues.
  • Ophthalmic impairments can impact a child's overall development and quality of life.
  • Understanding the link between prematurity and vision is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the prevalence of ophthalmic impairments in very preterm infants compared to term infants.
  • To investigate the relationship between these impairments and brain ultrasound findings and retinopathy.
  • To correlate ophthalmic issues with visual perception, motor skills, and cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 279 very preterm children and 210 term-born controls were assessed at age 7.
  • Ophthalmic assessments included visual acuity, stereopsis, and contrast sensitivity.
  • Cognitive and motor functions were evaluated using standardized tests, with perinatal data reviewed.

Main Results:

  • Preterm children had significantly higher rates of needing glasses, poor visual acuity, reduced stereopsis, and strabismus.
  • Ophthalmic impairments correlated with lower scores in motor and cognitive tests.
  • Retinopathy (Stage 3) was associated with poorer visual acuity, but impairments were not linked to cerebral ultrasound findings.

Conclusions:

  • Children born very preterm have an increased prevalence of ophthalmic impairments at primary school age, even without major neurodevelopmental issues.
  • These impairments are associated with deficits in visual perception, motor skills, and cognition.
  • A generalized abnormality in cortical development is suggested as the cause, rather than focal brain lesions.
Abstract

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