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Iridocorneal angle assessment in children with spontaneously regressed retinopathy of prematurity
Efthymia Prousali1, Anna Dastiridou1, Anna-Bettina Haidich2
12nd Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Insights
Children with regressed retinopathy of prematurity (sr-ROP) have narrower iridocorneal angles compared to preterm and term-born children. Anterior segment OCT revealed structural differences in sr-ROP eyes, suggesting anterior segment developmental arrest.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Anterior Segment Imaging
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness.
- Spontaneously regressed ROP (sr-ROP) can have long-term ocular effects.
- Understanding anterior segment development in sr-ROP is crucial for predicting ocular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare anterior segment anatomic parameters in school-aged children with sr-ROP versus preterm-born children without ROP history and healthy controls.
- To investigate potential structural differences in the iridocorneal angle in children with sr-ROP.
Main Methods:
- Anterior segment parameters were measured using IOLMaster and Visante Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography (AS-OCT).
- Key metrics included angle opening distance, trabecular iris space area, and scleral spur angle.
- Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was assessed using the ETDRS chart.
Main Results:
- Children with sr-ROP exhibited significantly worse BCVA and shorter axial length (AL) compared to controls.
- sr-ROP eyes showed a narrower iridocorneal angle compared to both preterm-born and term-born control groups.
- Preterm children without ROP history had similar anterior chamber angle metrics to term-born controls.
Conclusions:
- School-aged children with a history of sr-ROP present with narrower iridocorneal angles.
- AS-OCT imaging reveals structural variations in the iridocorneal angle of sr-ROP eyes.
- These findings suggest a possible mild developmental arrest of the anterior segment in children with sr-ROP.
Purpose:
To assess anterior segment anatomic parameters in school-aged children with spontaneously regressed retinopathy of prematurity (sr-ROP) and in children born preterm without ROP history (preT).
Methods:
sr-ROP and preT children were compared with healthy, born at term children (control group). Biometric characteristics were measured with the IOLMaster. Iridocorneal angle structure was evaluated using Visante AS-OCT, and angle opening distance, trabecular iris space area and scleral spur angle were calculated. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured with the ETDRS chart.
Results:
We examined 22 eyes of 11 children with sr-ROP, 26 eyes of 13 preT children and 24 eyes of 12 healthy controls, with a median age of 8 years. sr-ROP children exhibited worse mean BCVA and reduced AL compared to controls (p = 0.001 and p = 0.007, respectively). A narrower iridocorneal angle was found in sr-ROP compared to the preT and the control groups. Preterm children were found to have similar anterior chamber angle metrics compared to the full-term control group.
Conclusion:
In this study, school-aged children with a history of sr-ROP had narrower angles compared to preterm- and term-born children. AS-OCT demonstrated structural differences of the iridocorneal angle in sr-ROP, possibly reflecting a mild developmental arrest of the anterior segment.
