[Depth of retinal vessels and electroretinogram changes in stage 3 and 4 cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity].

The article presents the results of a study on retinal vessels in stage 3 and 4 cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) by means of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT). The study comprised 29 children (40 eyes) aged from 6 month to 12 years with stage 3 and 4 cicatricial ROP, of which 17 children (21 eyes) under 6 and 12 children (19 eyes) over 6 years of age. SD OCT was used to approach the depth of retinal vessels and the caliber of the first-order vessels. Only in 8 eyes (20%) proper retinal vessels were located in the ganglion cell layer. In 12 eyes (30%) the vessels occurred in the nerve fiber layer and in other 20 eyes (50%) they appeared to have extraretinal growth. Thus, physiological depth of retinal vessels (i.e. in the ganglion cell layer) was seen in only 20% of cases. A relationship between the degree of retinal vascular system displacement and the presence of extraretinal tissue was established (p < 0.01). No correlation was found between gestational age and birth weight and the location of retinal vessels (p > 0.05). Location of retinal vessels can serve as a severity criterion, an important test to reveal preclinical negative changes, and a risk factor for late complications (tractional retinoschisis, detachment and tears). A tendency to smaller diameter of retinal vessels and higher artheriovenous index in children with ROP in comparison with healthy full-term children of the same age might indicate a decrease of retinal blood filling which might later cause development of retinal dystrophies.