Scheimpflug imaging for long-term evaluation of optical components in Hungarian children with a history of preterm birth.
Academic Article
Overview
abstract
PURPOSE: To determine ocular geometry and refraction in children with a history of preterm birth, and compare them to age-matched full-term children. METHODS: In a prospective case-control study, 50 eyes of 27 premature patients 7 to 14 years of age were evaluated with Scheimpflug camera after cycloplegia. Age-matched full-term children comprised the control group (68 eyes of 34 children). All of the eligible eyes had a normal-appearing posterior pole. Anterior segment parameters such as keratometry, anterior chamber volume or thickness, and lens thickness were measured. Corneal thickness, lower- and higher-order aberrations refractive errors of the cornea (root mean square of lower- and higher-order aberrations: RMS LOA, RMS HOA) were also assessed and exported for further analysis. RESULTS: In the premature eyes, anterior chamber depth was marginally smaller (P = .06), the lens was significantly thicker (P = .03), and axial length was significantly shorter (P < .001). Scheimpflug imaging showed a significant difference in corneal RMS (P = .03) and an increase in corneal RMS HOA (P = .002) in the premature group. Preterm birth showed significant impact on axial length (P < .01) and lens thickness (P = .05); at the same time, anterior chamber depth was more influenced by retinopathy of prematurity stage (P = .01). Laser treatment showed marginally significant impact (P = .06) on anterior chamber depth. CONCLUSIONS: In premature eyes with or without mild retinopathy of prematurity, anterior segment anatomy is slightly different and they have more higher-order corneal aberrations compared to the eyes of term-born children.
