Development of grating acuity in infants with Retinopathy of Prematurity.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the visual development in infants with stage 1 approximately 3 ROP and compare their visual results with healthy preterm infants.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred forty-four premature infants were recruited and were divided into 3 groups according to the stage of ROP. Randomly selected preterm subjects with no ROP were taken as controls. Ophthalmic examinations started 4 to 7 weeks after birth and were repeated as needed until the retina was fully vascularized or until any ROP that developed had resolved. Grating acuity was measured by acuity cards between 35-45 weeks of corrected age and by PL method at 12, 18 and 24 months of age.

RESULTS

Infants with stage 3 ROP had slightly lower visual acuity scores compared to other infants at most of the testing points throughout the 35-45 week period, which did not show statistical significance at any week. Infants with stage 2 and 3 ROP had similar visual acuity values but slightly lower acuity scores than infants with stage I or no ROP at the 12 month follow-up. The differences were not statistically significant. Stage 3 ROP infants had significantly lower acuity scores compared to infants with stage 1-2 or no ROP at the 18 and 24 month follow-up visits (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

We stress periodic monitoring of early visual acuity in infants with ROP because of the possibility of impaired visual development.