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Infrared eye injury not due to radiant warmer use in premature neonates
S Baumgart1, A Knauth, F X Casey
1Department of Pediatric, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
Objective:
Exposure to far-wavelength infrared radiation (lambda > 2000 nm) may cause corneal opacity, miosis, and delayed cataracts (onset > 30 days). Near-wavelength infrared exposure (lambda < 1000 nm) may focus on the retina, causing burns; however, early eye examinations in neonates nursed under radiant warmers have failed to reveal acute injuries. Our purpose is to report long-term ophthalmologic outcome in infants treated under radiant warmers from birth.
Participants And Methods:
We report findings from eye examinations in infants followed up to a median age of 2 years, 9 months (range, 1 to 75 months), for (1) 33 infants nursed exclusively under radiant warmers for up to 5 days postnatally (mean [+/- SD] birth weight, 1.16 +/- 0.24 kg; mean gestation, 30 +/- 2 weeks) and (2) 14 convection-warmed incubator-nursed infants (1.26 +/- 0.22 kg, 31 +/- 2 weeks), who were slightly more mature.
Main Results:
A trend toward retinopathy of prematurity was noted as occurring more frequently in the radiant warmer-nursed infant population, and one infant in that group was blind. However, no macular burns and no permanent corneal, lens, or other anterior segment injuries were observed.
Conclusion:
Preliminary findings do not support permanent eye damage attributable to near- or far-wavelength infrared injury in neonates nursed under radiant warmers.