Preterm birth and refractive error in an Indian infant population
Reviewed by Fiona Rowe

This study was undertaken to identify and compare the changes in refractive outcome in infants with and without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), to inform incidence of refractive error. This was a prospective study of 300 consecutive premature infants with birth weight of <2kg and gestational age <34 weeks. Mean birth weight was 1,293.3g and mean gestational age was 30.13 weeks. Refractive error data was taken at one-year follow-up for 277 infants (554 eyes). Three hundred and nine eyes (55.7%) had no ROP, 245 had ROP and 150 with ROP regressed spontaneously without treatment. Eighty-six had treatment with laser photocoagulation. Mean spherical equivalent was 0.52D (6 to -15) for those with no ROP, 0.29 (3.75 to -4.50) in those with spontaneously regressed ROP and -2.02 (4.25 to -19.0) in those treated with laser photocoagulation. Incidence of myopia was 12.20%, 29.55% and 48.83% respectively. High myopia was more prevalent in treated ROP. Hypermetropia was seen most in those with no ROP. Low birth weight and low gestational age were more common in infants with negative spherical equivalents. These results are important for understanding ROP in this population of infants (Punjab, India) and for guiding future care.

Refractive error profile of preterm infants at 1-year follow-up in a tertiary care hospital.
Arora P, Arora K, Utaal SKD, Bansal N.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY AND STRABISMUS
2022;59(3):151-5.