Ocular Biometry in Preterm Newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Environment of a Referral Hospital.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to document ocular growth using ultrasound biometry measurements in conditions of prematurity with or without retinopathy.

DESIGN

An observational prospective study.

SUBJECTS: One hundred twenty eyes of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

METHODS

Follow-up every 2 weeks until 6 weeks postnatally. Inclusion criteria <1500 g or 32 gestational weeks/exclusion criteria >1500 g or 32 gestational weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ocular biometric parameters were evaluated using B-scan ultrasound (7.5-15 MHz, Mylab Esaote). These included anterior chamber depth, anterior-posterior lens diameter (lens thickness), vitreous chamber depth, and axial length. Additional evaluation parameters included refraction using retinoscopy to determine the refractive error, indirect ophthalmoscopy with 28 diopter lenses, and pediatric biometric parameters recorded in the medical record.

RESULTS

Total number: 120 eyes, 60 patients (29 females; 31 males); retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) number: 48 eyes, 24 patients (13 females; 11 males) were included, and the right eye was analyzed. Through repeated analysis of variance, a statistically significant effect on ROP did not differ significantly from any of the measures evaluated by the rest of the group. The biometric parameter showed a positive correlation relationship with gestational age. However, the refractive spherical was observed in the opposite behavior. The lens thickness and spherical equivalent were not shown. There was a significant correlation with gestational age; only the spherical equivalent significantly correlated with the Z-weight score for gestational age.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, it was possible to document the pattern of ocular growth in preterm infants with the progression of gestational age without differentiation between the groups of preterm infants (with and without ROP).

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.