Assessment of Macular Structural Changes and Visual Function in Retinopathy of Prematurity.
Laser-treated retinopathy of prematurity eyes have thicker central macula than untreated eyes
Assessment of Macular Structural Changes and Visual Function in Retinopathy of Prematurity.
To assess macular structure and function in retinopathy of prematurity (retinopathy of prematurity).
This was a prospective observational cohort study performed on children with laser-treated retinopathy of prematurity (n = 32 eyes of 17 children, age 9.12 ± 2.60 years) and untreated retinopathy of prematurity (n = 22 eyes of 12 children, age 10.40 ± 2.76 years), or premature children meeting retinopathy of prematurity screening criteria but without retinopathy of prematurity (immature retina) (n = 10 eyes of 6 children, age 9.00 ± 2.00 years), and full-term control patients (n = 42 eyes of 21 children, age 11.67 ± 2.87 years) comparing foveal function (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] visual acuity, contrast sensitivity [CS]) and retinal morphology (central retinal thickness [CRT]).
central retina scanned; laser-treated eyes had thicker, more swollen macula
Visual acuity of laser-treated eyes (0.26 logMAR, 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.33) was significantly worse than that of untreated (0.06 logMAR, 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.165, P = .004) and control (-0.02 logMAR, 95% CI: -0.08 to 0.05, P < .001) eyes, but not different from immature retina eyes (0.11 logMAR, 95% CI: -0.01 to 0.22, P = .12).
CS in treated eyes (1.56 log units, 95% CI: 1.48 to 1.63) was significantly worse than normal eyes (1.69 log units, 95% CI: 1.62 to 1.76, P = .05), but not different from either untreated (1.66 log units, 95% CI: 1.56 to 1.75, P = .35), or immature retina (1.65 log units, 95% CI: 1.51 to 1.78, P = .63) eyes.
Laser-treated eyes had abnormal macular structure and function compared to untreated eyes and normal control eyes.
Further studies are needed to determine whether these abnormalities are attributable to increased severity of retinopathy of prematurity in laser-treated patients, the effect of laser treatment, or both.