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Refractive Error Profile of Preterm Infants at 1-Year Follow-up in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Insights
Laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants is linked to a higher incidence of myopia. This study highlights the increased risk of myopia in infants who received laser treatment for ROP.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in preterm infants.
- Understanding refractive outcomes in infants with ROP is crucial for early intervention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the refractive outcomes in preterm infants with and without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
- To compare refractive errors among infants with no ROP, spontaneously regressed ROP, and laser-treated ROP.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 300 premature infants (birth weight ≤2 kg, gestational age ≤34 weeks).
- Infants categorized into three groups: no ROP, spontaneously regressed ROP, and laser-treated ROP.
- Follow-up at 1 year of age to assess refractive errors using cycloplegic retinoscopy.
Main Results:
- Refractive error data analyzed for 277 neonates (554 eyes).
- Myopia incidence was 12.29% (no ROP), 29.55% (regressed ROP), and 48.83% (laser-treated ROP) (P < .05).
- High myopia was most prevalent in the laser-treated group (23.25%); lower birth weight and gestational age correlated with more negative spherical equivalents.
Conclusions:
- Laser-treated ROP is associated with a significantly higher incidence of myopia compared to spontaneously regressed ROP or no ROP.
- Low birth weight and gestational age are risk factors for myopia in this population.
Purpose:
To study the refractive outcome in preterm infants with and without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a tertiary care hospital in North India.
Methods:
This prospective study was conducted on 300 consecutive premature infants with a birth weight of 2 kg or less and a gestational age of 34 weeks or less at birth. The infants were divided into three groups (no ROP, spontaneously regressed ROP, and laser-treated ROP) and were followed up at 1 year of age to assess the presence and type of refractive error in each group.
Results:
The refractive error data were available for 277 neonates (554 eyes). On cycloplegic retinoscopy at 1 year of follow-up, the incidence of myopia was 12.29%, 29.55%, and 48.83% in all three groups, respectively, being most common in the laser-treated group, and the values were statistically significant (P < .05). Moreover, high myopia was most prevalent in the laser-treated group (23.25%). A correlation between birth weight and gestational age with spherical equivalent showed that a low birth weight and a low gestational age are more commonly found in infants with a more negative spherical equivalent.
Conclusions:
Infants with laser-treated ROP have a higher incidence of myopia than those with spontaneously regressed ROP or no ROP. [.
