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Refractive status, biometric components, and functional outcomes of patients with threshold retinopathy of prematurity: systemic review and a 17-year longitudinal study

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
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Abstract

Objective

To assess the long-term refractive status, visual outcome, astigmatism, and the change in biometric optic components in older adolescents up to age 17 years with threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated with diode laser.

Methods

A retrospective, longitudinal study in which cycloplegic refraction, keratometry, and the biometric measurement of optic components were performed on 28 consecutive preterm eyes with laser-treated threshold ROP at age 17 years. The study results were statistically analysed and compared with age-matched full-term control.

Results

All patients with ROP had myopia (average spherical equivalent of − 6.35 D, ranges from − 1.25 to − 12.38 D), and 12 eyes (43%) were highly myopic (spherical equivalent <  − 6.0 D). Threshold ROP eyes exhibited a significantly poorer visual acuity (P < 0.001), greater cylinder refractive error (P < 0.001), higher corneal astigmatism (P < 0.001), and flatter horizontal corneal curvature (P = 0.01) compared with age-matched controls. Biometric optic components analysis revealed a significant shallower anterior chamber depth (P < 0.001), thicker lens (P < 0.001), and shorter axial length (P = 0.021) in laser-treated ROP eyes compared with age-matched controls.

Conclusions

In this 17-year longitudinal study, a higher prevalence of myopia and astigmatism was observed in laser-treated threshold ROP eyes compared with age-matched control eyes. Myopia and astigmatism in laser-treated ROP eyes typically progress through adolescence after school age. Therefore, we recommend that preterm patients with laser-treated threshold ROP should attend regular follow-up not only for refractive status but also for structural change of anterior segment until their adolescence.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yu-Bai Chou, An-Guor Wang & Kuan-Jung Chen

  2. School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yu-Bai Chou & An-Guor Wang

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital Yuanshan and Suao Branch, Yilan, Taiwan

    Hsin-Yu Yang

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chang-Sue Yang

  5. Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chang-Sue Yang

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Correspondence to Chang-Sue Yang.

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This research study was conducted retrospectively from data obtained for clinical purposes. The study design and protocol followed the guideline of the Helsinki Declaration and were approved by the Institutional Review Board of Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

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Chou, YB., Wang, AG., Yang, HY. et al. Refractive status, biometric components, and functional outcomes of patients with threshold retinopathy of prematurity: systemic review and a 17-year longitudinal study. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 260, 3809–3816 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-022-05730-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-022-05730-6

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