Functional and Structural Findings in Infants Treated for Retinopathy of Prematurity Using Optical Coherence...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Pediatric Eye Disease

Background:

• Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness.
• Diode laser photocoagulation is a common treatment for ROP.
• Long-term effects of ROP treatment on macular microvasculature are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the foveal microvascular structure in children with ROP treated with diode laser photocoagulation.
• To evaluate macular structural changes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Main Methods:

• OCTA imaging was performed on 17 children (27 eyes) with a history of ROP treated with diode laser photocoagulation.
• OCTA parameters were compared to 12 healthy age-matched controls (23 eyes).
• Correlations with clinical factors such as intraventricular hemorrhage grade were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The ROP group exhibited a smaller foveal avascular zone area, lower deep vascular plexus density, lower flow density, and greater central macular thickness compared to controls.
• Higher intraventricular hemorrhage grade correlated with a smaller foveal avascular zone area and greater inner macular thickness.
• Gestational age, birth weight, and refractive status did not significantly impact these parameters.

Conclusions:

• OCTA is effective in identifying significant, quantifiable, long-term macular microvascular and structural alterations in children treated for ROP.
• These findings underscore the potential for OCTA in monitoring the ocular health of ROP survivors.