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A population-based study of ocular abnormalities in premature children aged 5 to 10 years
1Department of Ophthalmology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Premature infants have significantly higher rates of ocular abnormalities, including reduced visual acuity and strabismus, compared to full-term infants. Regular eye examinations are crucial for monitoring visual development in premature children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
Background:
- Premature birth is associated with increased risks for various health complications.
- Ocular abnormalities are a known concern in infants born prematurely.
- Early identification and management of visual impairments are critical for long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of ocular abnormalities in premature children.
- To compare the rates of ophthalmic conditions between premature and full-term infants.
- To identify specific risk factors for ocular abnormalities in the premature population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of ophthalmic records from 1981 to 1986 in Stockholm County.
- Inclusion of 528 premature children (born <1501g birth weight or <33 weeks' gestational age).
- Comparison with a control group of 1,047 randomly selected full-term children.
Main Results:
- 134 (25.4%) premature children and 121 (11.5%) full-term children required ophthalmic care.
- Higher prevalence of reduced visual acuity, myopia, anisometropia, strabismus, and nystagmus in premature infants.
- Children with birth weight under 1,000g exhibited the highest rates of ocular abnormalities.
Conclusions:
- Premature children face a substantially elevated risk of developing ocular abnormalities.
- Visual and oculomotor development in premature infants warrants careful and consistent examination.
- Findings underscore the importance of specialized ophthalmic surveillance for this vulnerable population.
Abstract:
We studied the prevalence of ocular abnormalities in 528 children born prematurely (less than 1,501-g birth weight, less than 33 weeks' gestational age, or both) in Stockholm County from 1976 to 1981. The control group consisted of 1,047 randomly selected full-term children. Through various searches of the ophthalmic records from the period of 1981 to 1986 of Stockholm County, we found that 134 of the 528 premature children (25.4%) and 121 of the 1,047 full-term children (11.5%) had needed ophthalmic care for different reasons. The prevalence of ocular abnormalities was much higher in premature children than in full-term children: reduced visual acuity of 20/33 or worse in the best eye (21 of 528 [4.0%] and one of 1,047 [0.1%]); myopia (33 of 528 [6.3%] and 18 of 1,047 [1.8%]); anisometropia of 1 diopter or greater (31 of 528 [5.9%] and 15 of 1,047 [1.5%]); strabismus (52 of 528 [9.9%] and 22 of 1,047 [2.1%]); and nystagmus (13 of 528 [2.4%] and one of 1,047 [0.1%]). Children with birth weight less than 1,000 g had the highest rates of ocular abnormalities. We conclude that visual and oculomotor development of premature children should be carefully examined.