Vitamin E and retinopathy of prematurity. Follow-up at one year.

Five hundred forty-five infants weighing less than 1501 g at birth were entered into a randomized, prospective study to determine the effect of high serum levels (5 mg/dL) of vitamin E used prophylactically to try to prevent or alter the natural course of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and its sequel, retrolental fibroplasia (RLF). Three hundred twenty-eight infants were available for the one- to two-year eye examination. Although there was a trend (P = 0.072) toward less severe RLF among vitamin E-treated infants, the incidence of RLF was 11/162 (6.8%) in the placebo treated (P) infants, and 12/166 (7.2%) in the vitamin E-treated (E) infants. The incidences of hyperopia, myopia, anisometropia, strabismus and amblyopia were also similar in both the P and E groups.