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Does the number of laser applications for ROP treatment influence the degree of myopia?
Tatsuya Inoue1,2, Ryo Asaoka3,4,5, Yohei Hashimoto1
1Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
Insights
The number of laser shots used in treating retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is linked to the severity of myopia in children. More laser shots correlate with a higher degree of myopia at age three.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Medical Research
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
- Laser photocoagulation is a common treatment for ROP, but its long-term effects on refractive error are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the number of laser shots used in ROP treatment and the development of myopia.
- To determine if the extent of laser treatment influences the degree of myopia at three years of age.
Main Methods:
- A study included 68 eyes from 34 infants treated for prethreshold ROP with diode laser therapy.
- Cycloplegic retinoscopy was performed at age three to calculate spherical equivalent (SE).
- The number of laser shots was compared between eyes with and without high myopia (SE < -5D).
Main Results:
- Eyes with high myopia received significantly more laser shots than those without.
- A significant positive correlation was found between the number of laser shots and the degree of myopia (p < 0.001).
- Differences in SE between fellow eyes correlated significantly with differences in laser shot counts (p = 0.0013).
Conclusions:
- The number of laser shots applied during ROP treatment is significantly associated with the subsequent degree of myopia in children.
- This finding suggests a potential link between ROP treatment intensity and long-term refractive outcomes.
Purpose:
To evaluate the relationship between the number of laser shots applied during laser photocoagulation treatment and the degree of myopia at 3 years in children with laser-treated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Method:
A total of 68 eyes of 34 infants who had developed prethreshold ROP and were treated by diode laser therapy were included in the current study. Cycloplegic retinoscopic refraction testing was performed in the children at the age of 3 years, and the spherical equivalent (SE) was calculated for all the examined eyes. The number of laser shots that had been applied was compared between the eyes with and without high myopia (SE < - 5 diopters (D)). In addition, the relationship between the difference in the SE values between the two eyes in each infant and the difference in the number of laser shots applied between the two eyes was also analyzed.
Results:
The number of laser shots applied was significantly higher for the eyes with high myopia than for those without high myopia (p = 0.0088), and the number of laser shots applied was significantly positively correlated with the degree of myopia (p < 0.001). A significant correlation was also observed between the differences in the SE values between the two eyes and the differences in the number of laser shots applied between the two eyes (p = 0.0013).
Conclusion:
The number of laser shots applied in photocoagulation treatment for ROP is significantly associated with the degree of myopia seen subsequently in the children.
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