PURPOSE
To examine the peripheral and central visual fields in children who had been born prematurely
and at term.
METHODS
Four groups of 11-year-old children were examined: group 1 included 24 children who had been born at term (control group); group 2 included 20 children who had been born prematurely without ROP; group 3 included 22 children who had been born prematurely with untreated ROP (stages 2 and 3); and group 4 included 21 children who had been born prematurely and underwent cryotreatment for severe ROP. Their peripheral visual fields were examined with Goldmann perimetry. Static high-pass resolution perimetry was used to evaluate their central visual fields within 30°.
RESULTS
The peripheral visual fields were constricted in children who had undergone cryotreatment (group 4), as compared with the other groups (1 to 3). We found no difference between the groups of children who had been born prematurely with or without ROP (groups 2 and 3) and the control group. The function of the central visual fields, expressed as neural capacity, was reduced in the children who had been born prematurely compared with the controls, significantly in their left eyes only. The children who underwent cryotreament did not differ from the other children who had been born prematurely in this respect.
CONCLUSIONS
The peripheral visual fields were constricted in children who had undergone cryotreatment. It is uncertain whether this was caused by the treatment or by severe ROP. The central visual fields showed a tendency of reduced neural capacity in the children who had been born prematurely, reflecting a reduced density of retinocortical neural channels. However, this was not related to ROP or cryotreatment.
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2004;41:39-45.
AUTHORS
Drs. Larsson and Holmström are from Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala; and Dr. Martin is from the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Originally submitted June 20, 2002.
Accepted for publication January 22, 2003.
Address reprint requests to Gerd Holmström, MD, PhD, Consultant in Pediatric Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
Supported by Crown Princess Margaretha Foundation for Visually Impaired, Margit Thyselius Foundation, Sven Jerring Foundation, First of May Flower Annual Campaign, Solstickan Foundation, and Gösta Ankarstrand Foundation.
The authors thank Ulrika Gedda for her skillful help with the Goldmann perimetry examinations. They also thank Elisabeth Berg, Department of Humanities, Informatics and Social Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, for her help with the statistical evaluation.
Presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; May 5-9, 2002; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
