Visual and refractive outcomes up to 5 years of age of dome-shaped macula detected by handheld spectral domain optical coherence tomography in preterm infants.

PURPOSE: To evaluate long-term visual and refractive outcomes in preterm infants found to have dome-shaped macula on imaging with handheld spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

METHODS

This was a prospective, observational study of preterm infants. Awake handheld SD-OCT was performed at the time of each routine retinopathy of prematurity examination. All visual and refractive (cycloplegic refraction by streak retinoscopy) outcomes were assessed by a single, masked, fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologist at 9 months, 2 years, and 5 years of age.

RESULTS

Of 95 included preterm infants (52% male; mean birth weight, 1006.14 ± 292.96 g; mean gestational age, 28.38 ± 2.87 weeks), 58 (61%) had dome-shaped macula in at least one eye with good kappa agreement (0.71 ± 0.04; 95% Cl, 0.63-0.80). No differences in spherical equivalent were seen at 9 months (+1.80 ± 1.67 vs +1.55 ± 1.89 [P = 0.39]), 2 years (+1.34 ± 1.89 vs +1.03 ± 1.20 [P = 0.60]), or 5 years of age (+0.51 ± 1.51 vs +0.72 ± 1.66 [P = 0.12]). There were also no differences in logMAR visual acuity at 9 months (P = 0.41), 2 years (P = 0.62), or 5 years (P = 0.60) of age. Rates of astigmatism or strabismus did not differ at any time point (P > 0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Dome-shaped macula detected by handheld SD-OCT in infancy was not associated with differences in visual acuity, refractive error, or strabismus at 9 months, 2 years, or 5 years of age.