Abstract
BackgroundThe etiology of transient corneal haze in premature infants is not known and how it relates to clinical outcomes in premature infants is not clear.ObjectivesTo study associated factors of transient corneal haze in premature infants.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study of 261 premature infants from retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening in the neonatal intensive care unit at a tertiary referral hospital. Characteristics of premature infants with and without corneal haze were analyzed by correlation tests, Chi-square tests, and logistic regressions were used for statistical analyses. Associations between corneal haze and birth weight (BW), gestational age at birth (GA), central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and other systemic and ophthalmic data were evaluated.ResultsThe incidence of corneal haze was 13.4%. Lower BW, lower GA, packed red blood cells (RBC) transfusion, more days on oxygen, older maternal age, bronchopulmonary disease, and stage 3 ROP are associated with corneal haze. The severity of corneal haze decreased with infants’ postmenstrual age. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that BW and maternal age are the most important predictors of corneal haze.ConclusionLow BW and older maternal age are the most important predictors of corneal haze in premature infants. Premature infants with corneal haze could carry more systemic and ocular morbidities. Hence they may require more clinical attention. Corneal haze is unlikely to hinder the treatment of ROP. However, it is possible that corneal haze could hinder the examination of ROP in some infants. If corneal haze does interfere with ROP screening, a closer, more conservative follow-up schedule with a senior ophthalmologist experienced in managing ROP is recommended.
Highlights
Corneas provide the major refractive power of the eyes and their clarity is important for proper human vision and visual development
Lower birth weight (BW), lower gestational age at birth (GA), packed red blood cells (RBC) transfusion, more days on oxygen, older maternal age, bronchopulmonary disease, and stage 3 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are associated with corneal haze
Corneal haze is unlikely to hinder the treatment of ROP
Summary
Corneas provide the major refractive power of the eyes and their clarity is important for proper human vision and visual development. Infantile corneal opacity has been associated with many problems, including congenital glaucoma, birth trauma, congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy, or Peters’ anomaly [7]. Premature infants have been noted to have transient corneal haze [8, 9] The etiology of this kind of corneal haze is unknown and possible associated factors in premature infants have not been studied. It is not known how this corneal haze severity relates to clinical outcomes in premature infants, and if this phenomenon is consistent across different ethnic groups [10]. The etiology of transient corneal haze in premature infants is not known and how it relates to clinical outcomes in premature infants is not clear
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