Anatomical and functional features of eyes in children with the second stage of cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity

    Abstract

    Anatomical and functional features of eyes in children with the second stage of cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity

    Pshenichnov M.V., Kolenko O.V.

    The Khabarovsk branch of the S.N. Fyodorov National Medical Research Center «MNTK «Eye Microsurgery»
Postgraduate Institute for Public Health Specialists of the Ministry of Health of the Khabarovsk Krai, Khabarovsk

    Purpose. To evaluate anatomical and functional features of eyes in children with the 2nd stage of cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in long-term period after underwent laser coagulation (LC) of threshold stages of ROP.

    Material and methods. 18 children aged 8–9 years with the 2nd stage of cicatricial ROP, who underwent LC of retina of threshold stages of ROP in 2008–2009. Selection criterion is absence of traction changes in macular area (main group). We studied visual evoked potentials (VEP), performed optical coherence tomography in macular area, and ocular biometry. The control was healthy children of similar age.

    Results. The depth of anterior chamber of the eye in the main group was on average 2.38±0.19 mm, in the comparison group – on average 2.78±0.18 mm, p≤0.03. We revealed increase in foveal thickness in the main group – 279.5±17.9 µm versus 239.2±9.2 µm in the control, p≤0.01; tendency to reduction of retinal thickness in all segments of macular area in the main group, compared with the control, in the nasal temporal (282.2±6.1 versus 312.1±11.5 µm, respectively) and superior (301.1±18.9 against 321.5±11.6 µm, respectively) quadrants, p≤0.01. In the main group, despite visually intact optic disc and macula, pathological changes in VEP were observed in 89% of cases.

    Conclusion. The features of eyes in children with 2nd stage of cicatricial ROP who underwent LC of retina of threshold stages of ROP: a statistically significant increase in foveal thickness, a uniform decrease in retinal thickness in other sectors in macular area, and a smaller anterior chamber of the eye, than healthy peers, the presence of pathological changes in VEP, despite visually intact macula and optic disk.

    Key words: cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity, retinal thickness, anterior chamber of the eye, visual evoked potentials.