Incidence and Factors Related to Myopia in Pre-term Infant without Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Lee, Hee Jeong; Lim, Key Hwan

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2002;43(10):1950-1955.
Published online October 1, 2002.

Incidence and Factors Related to Myopia in Pre-term Infant without Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Department of ophthalmology, Medical research center, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Korea. limkh@ewha.ac.kr

미숙아망막병증이 없는 미숙아에서의 근시 발생률과 관련인자

이희정 ( Hee Jeong Lee ) , 임기환 ( Key Hwan Lim )

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the incidence of myopia and their relation with gestational age, birth weight and the factors influencing the occurrence and degree of myopia in pre-term infants without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS: At the age of 6 months, cycloplegic refraction and A-Scan sonography were performed in 172 eyes of 86 pre-term infants with the gestational age less than 38 weeks from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 1999. RESULTS: Myopia was observed in 46.5% of the refracted eyes. Gestational age and birth weight had a positive correlation with the spherical equivalent. The mean axial length of the right and left eye were 19.030 mm and 19.834 mm, respectively. The axial length had a negative correlation with spherical equivalent. Male infants had longer eyes than female infants. There was no correlation between lens thickness or anterior chamber depth with the spherical equivalent. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the birth weight and axial length significantly influenced the value of spherical equivalent. CONCLUSION: Clinically, pre-term infants without ROP also run an increased risk of developing myopia. Especially pre-term infants with low birth weight pose a greater risk. The extent of myopia of pre-term infants strongly relate to the axial length but not to the lens thickness or the depth of anterior chamber.

Key Words: Axial length;Birth weight;Gestational age;Myopia;Prematurity