Evaluation of Ocular Biometric and Optical Coherence Tomography Parameters in Preterm Children Without Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Abstract

PurposeTo evaluate and compare biometric and optical coherence tomography parameters of ocular structures in preterm children without retinopathy of prematurity with term children.MethodsA cross-sectional, comparative study was carried out from 2018 to 2019. In this study, 124 eyes of 62 preterm children were compared with 132 eyes of 66 term children aged between 7 and 9 years. Preterm children were born at 28 to 32 weeks with a birth weight of less than 2 kg with no ocular abnormalities, and term children were delivered at 37 or greater weeks and had a birth weight of 2 kg or more. All children had standardized eye examinations, and ocular measurements using the anterior and posterior segment optical coherence tomography and laser interferometry.ResultsSignificant differences were found between the term and preterm children for horizontal corneal diameter: median, 12.2 mm (interquartile range [IQR], 0.4) versus median, 12.1 mm (IQR, 0.6; P < 0.005); axial length median, 23.03 mm (IQR, 1.10 mm) versus median, 22.88 mm (IQR, 1.35 mm; P = 0.017); global retinal nerve fiber layer thickness: mean ± standard deviation, 106.54 ± 10.23 µm versus mean ± standard deviation, 103.65 ± 10.178 µm (P = 0.024); temporal retinal nerve fiber layer thickness: median, 76 µm (IQR, 16 µm) vs median, 74 µm (IQR, 14 µm; P = 0.012); and the angle opening distance at 750 µm nasal: mean ± standard deviation, 0.815 ± 0.23 mm vs mean ± standard deviation, 0.749 ± 0.21 mm (P = 0.016). No significant differences were found for other anterior segment and angle parameters.ConclusionsPreterm children with no retinopathy of prematurity have smaller eyes and thinner retinal nerve fiber layers than their term counterparts. The long-term effects of interrupted ocular growth in preterm children should be further studied into adulthood.Translational RelevancePreterm children maybe more predisposed to certain eye conditions because they have smaller eyes, and thus should be further monitored clinically.