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Refractive and Visual Outcome after Laser-Treated Retinopathy of Prematurity in Western Romania
Florina Stoica1, Corina Ladariu2, Marie-Jeanne Koos3
1Genetics Discipline, Center of Genomic Medicine, ''Victor Babes'' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
Insights
Laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity in Romanian infants shows a correlation between visual acuity and refractive error. Long-term follow-up is crucial for assessing visual function and quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
- Laser photocoagulation is a common treatment modality for ROP, but its long-term functional outcomes require ongoing evaluation.
- Assessing visual function and refractive errors post-treatment is critical for understanding the impact of ROP interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the functional outcomes in Romanian premature infants treated for retinopathy of prematurity using 810nm diode laser.
- To analyze the relationship between laser treatment parameters and visual acuity.
- To determine the prevalence of refractive errors and anisometropia in the treated ROP population.
Main Methods:
- Study included 52 premature infants (gestational age <34 weeks, birth weight <2000 grams), totaling 96 eyes.
- Functional outcomes assessed via best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and refractive error.
- Statistical analysis included Pearson Correlation to evaluate relationships between parameters using IBM SPSS 20.
Main Results:
- Eyes with optimal BCVA (0.8-1.0) had a mean gestational age of 29.45 weeks and birth weight of 1363.38 grams.
- Significant positive correlation found between BCVA and spherical equivalent (P<0.001).
- Significant negative correlation observed between BCVA and the number of laser impacts (P=0.001); high astigmatism (27.08%) and anisometropia (55.77%) were noted.
Conclusions:
- Diode laser treatment for ROP in this cohort demonstrated a correlation between visual outcomes and refractive status.
- A strong association exists between visual acuity and spherical equivalent, as well as treatment intensity (number of impacts).
- Long-term follow-up is essential to optimize visual function and improve the quality of life for ROP patients.
Objectives:
The aim of this study is to assess the functional outcomes registered in patients from the Western part of Romania, who have been treated for retinopathy of prematurity, using a laser diode (810mn).
Materials And Methods:
In the current study 52 premature infants with gestational age<34 weeks and a birth weight <2000 grams, 96 eyes in total were included. The functional outcomes were assessed by determining the best corrected visual acuity and refractive error. Statistical analysis used: The data were analysed using the IBM SPSS 20 software. Pearson Correlation was used to assess the strength of the relation between different parameters.
Outcomes:
For the eyes with the best visual function (BCVA between 0.8 and 1.0), mean gestational age was 29,452 weeks (SD = 1.958), mean weight at birth was 1363.38 grams (SD = 304.655), the mean energy used during treatment was 370.73 mW (SD = 95.972), and the mean number of burns applied was 1470.44 (SD = 581.960). The spherical equivalent ranged between -24.6 D and +3.4 D. High astigmatism (>3.0 D) was found in 26 eyes (27.08 %) and anisometropia in 29 patients (55.77%). There is a strong positive correlation, statistically significant (P<0.001) between best corrected visual acuity and spherical equivalent, and a negative correlation, statistically significant (P=0.001), between best corrected visual acuity and the number of impacts during laser treatment.
Conclusion:
A long term follow-up is necessary in order to obtain an improvement in the quality of life and visual function of the patients who received laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity.