Visually impairing ROP in children born in Sweden 1975-89.

Among all children registered at the two educational resource centres in Sweden for visually impaired, we found 61 children with ROP causing their visual dysfunction, born 1975-89. Six children had a birthweight exceeding 1460 g, four of these were educationally blind. Sixty children had a gestational age of 30 weeks or less, one child had a gestational age of 31 weeks. Forty-one children had a visual acuity < or = 0.05 while 20 had visual acuity of 0.06-0.3 in the best eye. Twenty-four children had additional handicaps. Seven blind children had developed autistic features. Vitreoretinal surgery had been performed in 27 children. When the retina preoperatively was totally detached surgery failed to restore useful vision. We conclude that it is safer to define the risk group for ROP by gestational age than by birthweight. If the retina already is totally detached it seems advisable to refrain from vitreoretinal surgery.