Evaluation of structural contributors in myopic eyes of preterm and full-term children

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Refractive Error Research

Background:

• Myopia, a common visual impairment, presents varying etiological factors.
• Understanding the structural basis of myopia in children is crucial for effective management.
• Preterm birth may influence ocular development and refractive error progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the hypothesis that structural contributions to myopia differ between preterm and full-term born children.
• To compare ocular biometric parameters in myopic children based on their gestational age.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 93 myopic children (ages 2-13, myopia ≥ -3 diopters).
• Ocular biometry measured using A-scans, including refractive error, corneal thickness, corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and axial length.
• Children categorized into four groups: myopic/non-myopic full-term and myopic/non-myopic preterm.

Main Results:

• Refractive error was similar between myopic full-term and myopic preterm children.
• Myopic preterm children exhibited higher average corneal curvature (AVK) compared to non-myopic full-term children.
• Myopic preterm children had shallower anterior chamber depth (ACD) and thicker lens (LT) than myopic full-term children.
• Axial length (AL) was longer in myopic full-term children compared to myopic preterm children.

Conclusions:

• Increased axial length is a significant factor in myopia development for full-term children.
• Corneal curvature and lens thickness are key contributors to myopia in preterm children.
• These findings highlight distinct structural pathways for myopia development based on birth status.