J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2010 Oct;51(10):1385-1391.

Refractive Errors, Amblyopia and Strabismus in 3-year-old Premature Children

• Bae JH
• Choi DG

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the refractive status, anisometropia, amblyopia and strabismus in 3-year-old premature children.
METHODS
A total of 161 eyes from 82 premature infants were retrospectively reviewed and divided into three groups according to the presence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and treatment; Group 1 (68 eyes): without ROP, Group 2-1 (32 eyes): spontaneously regressed ROP, and Group 2-2 (61 eyes): regressed ROP with treatment. The incidences and clinical features of refractive errors, anisometropia, amblyopia and strabismus at the age of three years were compared among the three groups.
RESULTS
The incidences of myopia, astigmatism, anisometropia and the severity of myopia increased according to the presence of ROP and treatment (p = 0.03, 0.02, 0.001, and 0.04, respectively). There were no significant differences in the incidences of hyperopia among the three groups; however, the severity of hyperopia in Group 2-2 was higher than those in the other two groups (p = 0.01). Patients in Group 1 had better best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) compared with those of the other two groups (p < 0.001). However, no significant differences in the incidences of strabismus or amblyopia among the three groups (p = 0.80 and 0.85, respectively) were found, and the ratio of esotropia : exotropia was 1:1.3.
CONCLUSIONS
Regular ocular examination should be required in children who were born prematurely in order to detect and treat ophthalmologic problems such as refractive errors, amblyopia and strabismus.

Keyword

Amblyopia; Premature infant; Refractive error; Retinopathy of prematurity; Strabismus

MeSH Terms

Amblyopia
Anisometropia
Astigmatism
Child
Diterpenes
Esotropia
Exotropia
Eye
Humans
Hyperopia
Incidence
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Myopia
Preschool Child
Refractive Errors
Retinopathy of Prematurity
Retrospective Studies
Strabismus
Visual Acuity
Diterpenes

Reference

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