Regressed retinopathy of prematurity in children aged 5-10 years.

Regressed retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and its sequelae has been analysed in pre-term born children with a birth weight < 1500 g and/or < 33 weeks of gestational age, born in Stockholm during 1976-81. At the age of 5-10 years, we found that 134 of 528 preterm born children (25.4%) had been at departments of ophthalmology in Stockholm for various reasons. These children were re-examined and a good eye fundus information could be obtained in 105. Moderate and severe regressed ROP was found in 48 and 13 children, respectively. In the Stockholm area the frequency of children with severe ROP (earlier called cicatricial ROP) was 2.5% out of the above risk group of 528. Two children were blind from ROP (0.4%). Ten children had a visual acuity < or = 0.3 in the worse eye (1.9%) and 7 of them had ROP changes. Children with a birth weight < 1000 g had the highest frequency of ROP (severe 11.6% and moderate 18.6%) and ocular complications. The results show that preterm born children often present ocular complications, and therefore they need a close follow-up.