Long-term observation of refractional changes in schoolchildren with cicatricial phase of retinopathy of prematurity

Original article Long-term observation of refractional changes in schoolchildren with cicatricial phase of retinopathy of prematurity S.I. Rychkova, A.B. Laver, N.I. Kurysheva Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center, Moscow, Russian Federation Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Moscow, Russian Federation Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation Purpose. To evaluate dynamics of refractional changes in schoolchildren with the cicatricial phase of retinopathy of prematurity over a ten-year follow-up period. Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of refractional changes dynamics over 10 years was performed in a group of 18 schoolchildren (36 eyes) with a scar phase (PH) and a control group including 24 schoolchildren (48 eyes) with congenital myopia. All children studied in a special school with adapted conditions for children with ophthalmopathology. Results. Refractive indices at the beginning of the follow-up (at 7 years) in both groups were statistically comparable (p=0.51). According to the correlation analysis, the value of myopic refraction according to the spheroequivalent significantly increased with age in both groups (r=0.99, p<0.001). At the same time, the increase in myopic refraction over a ten-year follow-up period was more significant (p=0.005) in the group of children with congenital myopia (on average 2.0±0.2 D) than in the group of children with PH (on average 1.1±0.2 D). As a result of the functional treatment, the increase in visual acuity in the group of children with congenital myopia (on average by 0.14±0.02) was more significant (p<0.001) than in the group of children with PH (on average by 0.02±0.01). Conclusion. The results of our work demonstrate the need for further investigation of the features of refraction and visual functions of patients with the scar phase of PH and an individual approach to choosing the optimal correction of the identified disorders using modern achievements in this field.