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Increase in retinal surface area during infancy and childhood
Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
|July 1, 1982
Insights
Retinal surface area grows rapidly during late gestation and early childhood. This study quantizes retinal growth, providing a baseline for future research on retinal cell density.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Biology
- Anatomy
Background:
- Understanding ocular development is crucial for diagnosing and treating visual impairments.
- Quantifying changes in retinal surface area provides essential normative data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To calculate and describe the growth pattern of retinal surface area from fetal development through early childhood.
- To establish a normative dataset for retinal surface area during a critical period of visual system development.
Main Methods:
- Measurements of retinal surface area were taken from 33 patients.
- Patient age ranged from six months of gestation to six years postnatally.
Main Results:
- Retinal surface area exhibited rapid growth in the final months of gestation.
- Growth continued more gradually during the first two postnatal years, with a slower rate thereafter.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a quantitative description of retinal surface area expansion during human development.
- These findings serve as a foundational reference for investigating regional variations in retinal cell density and retinal pigmented epithelium development.
Abstract:
Retinal surface area was calculated from measurements made on the eyes of 33 patients ranging in age from six-months of gestation to six-postnatal years. Retinal surface area increased dramatically during the last months of gestation and more gradually in the first two postnatal years. Thereafter the rate of increase was small. These data provide a background against which regional shifts in the cell density of the retina and retinal pigmented epithelium can be studied.