Axial Length and Ocular Development of Premature Infants without ROP

Abstract

Purpose To investigate the ocular parameters of premature infants without ROP at gestational age (GA) more than 28 weeks and their relationship with growth parameters. Methods 76 preterm infants without ROP and 65 term infants were involved to undergo portable slit lamp, RetCam3, ultrasonic A-scan biometry, and cycloplegic streak examination at their 40 weeks' postconceptional ages (PCA). Ocular parameters of infants' right eye and growth parameters were used for analysis. Results All the infants were examined at 40 weeks' PCA. No significant difference was found between male and female in axial length of preterm infants (p = 0.993) and term infants (p = 0.591). Significant differences were found in axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and vitreous depth (VD) between preterm and term infants. No significant correlation was found between AL and spherical equivalent in preterm infants' group. In preterm group, AL was significantly correlated with gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), and head circumference (HC). Conclusions Preterm infants had shorter AL, shallow ACD, thicker LT, and thinner VD compared to term infants. Refractive error in preterm infants at GA between 28 to 37 weeks was not related to axial length. Among all the growth parameters of preterm infants, GA, BW, and HC had effect on axial length.

Meta-analysis of ocular axial length in newborns and infants up to 3 years of age

“…27 But even without ROP premature infants have a shorter axial length: Zha demonstrated a significant difference between children born at 33 weeks and term infants both measured at 40 weeks gestational age (17.08 ± 0.67mm vs 17.34 ± 0.55mm), and Fledelius stated that axial length in premature eyes does not catch up with the growth of full-term eyes, even by 18 years of age. 10,39 Premature newborns also have been described to be more myopic than term controls.…”

“…6,7,11,13,28,30,39 Anthropometric parameters such as birth weight (Blomdahl, Denis, Stafford, O'Brien&Clark, Zha), crown-heel and crown-rump length (Denis, Stafford), and orbitofacial parameters such as head circumference (Stafford, O'Brien and Clark, Zha) are suggested to be potentially correlated. 3,7,26,34,39 Contrarywise, Pennie found no correlation between birth weight and axial length. 28 Trivedi found an ethnic difference not confirmed in other studies where African-American infants had significantly longer eyes than Caucasian infants (21.66mm versus 20.14mm).…”

Miadında Doğan Türk Bebeklerde Refraktif Kusurların Taşınabilir Otorefraktometre ile Taranması

“…Previously it has been shown that birth weight is more correlated with refractive error in preterm babies compared to gestational age (9,10). Similarly, Varghese at al.…”

Ocular morphology development and function in children with congenital hypothyroidism diagnosed by neonatal screening

“…Searching for a possible difference in ocular morphology and visual acuity in the CH group, we have found lower values in ACD, ACV, and HCD in the eutopic gland subgroup compared to patients with the ectopic gland. The lower gestational age of eutopic subgroup can show these results: in fact, although the literature contains several conflicting reports [15,16], according to some researches [17][18][19][20] birth parameters (gestational age, birth weight, birth length, and birth head circumference) have a lasting effect on ocular dimensions in adolescence and adulthood. Finally, the higher frequency of refractive errors in our athyreotic subgroup could have a certain importance but the small numerosity of study population has not allowed us to deduce a reliable conclusion.…”