Optical coherence tomography imaging of the fovea in retinopathy of prematurity.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

To report foveal optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in patients with a history of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

In a case-control study, OCT imaging of the fovea was performed on mostly adult patients with a history of ROP and no significant macular pathology. The same OCT imaging was performed on control subjects who were born full-term.

RESULTS

Fourteen eyes of 12 patients with ROP were studied. Mean age was 39 years and mean gestational age at birth was 28 weeks. Of the 11 eyes with no cataract or pseudophakia, median best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40. Three eyes with cataracts had visual acuities of 20/50, 20/60, and 20/100. OCT imaging showed that eyes in the ROP group had a relative loss of the foveal depression, increased macular thickness, and continuation of inner retinal layers within the fovea.

CONCLUSION

OCT imaging demonstrated abnormal foveal architecture in patients with a history of ROP, but most of these patients maintained good visual acuity.