Pre-term delivery and subsequent ocular development. A 7-10 year follow-up of children screened 1982-84 for ROP. 3) Refraction. Myopia of prematurity

Acta Ophthalmol Scand. 1996 Jun;74(3):297-300. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0420.1996.tb00096.x.

Abstract

Refractive findings are reported in a follow-up study comprising 88 children aged 7-10 years, who were submitted to regular control for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in the first months after their pre-term delivery 1982-84 (mean birthweight 1467 g, mean gestational age 31 weeks). The refractive range was -13 to +6.75 D. In four subjects with fully-blown ROP both eyes were left blind and dysmorphic. Twenty-four had had ROP with regression; myopia of prematurity (MOP) appeared in six (25%). At follow-up the myopia frequency in the remaining 60 without ROP was 5%. Out of the 9 subjects with uni- or bilateral myopia of prematurity three had no evidence of early ROP. With a median corrected acuity of 0.5 only, the eyes with MOP had a lower corrected visual score than in the rest of the material (median monocular acuity 0.9). The latter value is even a little lower than what was previously reported in full-terms of a similar age (median acuity above 1.0). Obviously, as a sequel to the pre-term delivery we are dealing not only with early myopia in some subjects; further, the potential for developing full vision appears influenced and reduced. This applies to the total group of ex-prematures, but in particular it is valid for myopia of prematurity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Infant, Low Birth Weight
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Myopia / etiology
  • Myopia / physiopathology*
  • Obstetric Labor, Premature*
  • Ocular Physiological Phenomena*
  • Pregnancy
  • Refraction, Ocular*
  • Retinopathy of Prematurity / complications
  • Retinopathy of Prematurity / diagnosis
  • Retinopathy of Prematurity / physiopathology*