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[Results of one-year observation of the visual system of premature infants]
J Kobylarz1, B Kot, M Starzycka
1Katedry i Kliniki Okulistyki oraz z Pracowni Angiograficzno-Retinologicznej Collegium Medicum Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego w Krakowie.
Insights
Premature infants often experience vision problems, including retinopathy of prematurity and refractive errors. Early eye exams at 12 months are crucial for detecting and managing these visual impairments.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Developmental Pediatrics
Context:
- Infants born prematurely (25-36 weeks gestation) are at risk for visual complications.
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) affects a significant proportion of these infants.
- Cryotherapy was performed on 7 infants (9 eyes) for severe ROP.
Purpose:
- To assess the ocular health and visual development of preterm infants at 12 months corrected age.
- To identify the prevalence of eye position/movement disturbances, refractive errors, and visual acuity.
- To evaluate the long-term visual outcomes following prematurity and ROP treatment.
Summary:
- 65 preterm infants (25-36 weeks GA) were examined at 12 months.
- 26 infants had eye movement/position disturbances.
- Refractive errors included hypermetropia (77 eyes) and myopia (27 eyes); 16 eyes were emmetropic.
- Visual acuity varied, with 22 eyes achieving 0.2 or better, but 36 eyes had reduced acuity.
Impact:
- Highlights the high incidence of visual impairments in preterm infants.
- Underscores the need for comprehensive ophthalmological follow-up in this population.
- Provides data on refractive outcomes and visual acuity in treated and untreated ROP cases.
Abstract:
65 infants with gestational age 25-36 weeks and birth weight 800-2650 g were observed. Retinopathy of prematurity was found in 27 infants; in 9 eyes of 7 infants cryotherapy was applied. Examination at the age of 12 months evaluated: position and movements of the eye, refraction, visual acuity with preferential looking method, as well as anterior segment and fundus of the eye. Disturbances in eye position and movements were observed in 26 infants. Emmetropia was found in 16 eyes, 77 were hypermetropic and 27 myopic. The length of the eyeballs ranged from 14.6 to 22.5 mm. Visual acuity was determined in 39 infants, in 9 of them only binocular. It was 0.2 (normal) in 22 eyes, > in 2 and < in 36 eyes.