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Macular Curvature in Adults Born Preterm With and Without ROP: Results from the Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study
Achim Fieß1, Christin Volmering1, Sandra Gißler1
1Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Insights
Prematurity and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treatment in adults are linked to altered macular curvature. Ocular geometry, specifically posterior segment length and subfoveal choroidal thickness, also influences macular shape.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Imaging
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Prematurity and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can impact long-term ocular development.
- Macular curvature is a key indicator of retinal structure and visual function.
- Understanding the influence of perinatal factors on ocular geometry is crucial for predicting visual outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of prematurity and ROP on adult macular curvature.
- To examine associations between ocular geometry and macular curvature in adults.
- To identify perinatal factors associated with macular curvature.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of preterm and full-term adults (aged 18-52).
- Central foveal optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans analyzed for macular curvature.
- Multivariable linear regression used to assess associations with perinatal and ocular geometric factors.
Main Results:
- ROP treatment was associated with more negative macular curvature (macular protrusion).
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy showed an association with macular curvature.
- Posterior segment length and subfoveal choroidal thickness were significantly associated with macular curvature.
Conclusions:
- Adults treated for ROP exhibit distinct macular curvature, suggesting vitreous protrusion.
- Subfoveal choroidal thickness and posterior segment length are key determinants of macular curvature.
- These findings highlight the lasting impact of prematurity and ROP on ocular structure.
Purpose:
This study investigated the effects of prematurity and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) as well as the associations of the ocular geometry with macular curvature in adults.
Methods:
The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study is a retrospective cohort study of preterm and full-term participants aged 18 to 52 years with a prospective ophthalmologic examination. The main outcome measure was the macular curvature in the central foveal optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan and its associations with gestational age (GA), birth weight and birth weight percentile, ROP occurrence, ROP treatment, and other perinatal factors were evaluated in univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses. Furthermore, a second model assessed the association of ocular geometry with macular curvature.
Results:
In the present study, 550 eyes of 284 adults born preterm and 277 eyes of 139 adults born full-term were examined (aged = 28.7 ± 8.7 years, 240 female subjects). In multivariable analyses for perinatal parameters, ROP treatment (B = -52.44, P = 0.023) and maternal smoking during pregnancy (B = 26.41, P = 0.019) showed an association with macular curvature. Regarding ocular geometric parameters, posterior segment length (B = 9.07, P < 0.001) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (B = -0.26, P < 0.001) were associated with macular curvature, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and foveal retinal thickness were not associated.
Conclusions:
Adults treated for ROP had relatively more negative curvature values compared to the full-term group, indicating a macular protrusion toward the vitreous cave. A thicker subfoveal choroidal thickness was associated with a flatter macular curvature, whereas a longer posterior segment length was associated with a steeper macular curvature indicating the characteristics of the myopic elongation of the eye.
