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Published on: July 24, 2020
Longitudinal study of optic cup progression in children
Hee-Jung Park1, Christian Hampp, Joseph L Demer
1Zanvyl Krieger Children's Eye Center, Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
|July 31, 2010
Summary
Children born preterm show a faster rate of optic cup-to-disc ratio (C:D) progression. This finding is crucial for understanding pediatric optic nerve development and avoiding misdiagnosis of glaucoma.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Optometry
Background:
- Optic cup-to-disc ratio (C:D) is a key metric in ophthalmology.
- Understanding normative C:D progression in children is essential for accurate diagnosis.
- Prematurity and low birth weight are potential risk factors for altered ocular development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the typical rate of cup-to-disc ratio (C:D) progression in children.
- To investigate the influence of prematurity and low birth weight on C:D progression rates.
Main Methods:
- Serial ophthalmoscopy over 5 years in 92 pediatric patients.
- Cross-sectional analysis of C:D by age (0-10 years).
- Linear regression to compare C:D progression in preterm vs. term and low vs. normal birth weight children.
Main Results:
- Children demonstrate progressive optic cupping.
- Mean C:D increased by 0.0075 per year in term children.
- Preterm children showed a doubled C:D progression rate (0.0160 per year, P=.049).
Conclusions:
- Prematurity is linked to an accelerated rate of optic cupping in children.
- Low birth weight shows a similar, though not statistically significant, trend.
- Pediatric C:D progression alone is not a definitive indicator of glaucoma.
