Retinopathy of prematurity in practice. II: long-term results following treatment for threshold disease

doi:doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6700295

Eye (2003) 17, 189–193. doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6700295

Retinopathy of prematurity in practice. II: long-term results following treatment for threshold disease

Presented in part as a poster at the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Congress, Birmingham, UK, May 2001 and as a poster at the European Strabismological Association 27th Annual Meeting, Florence, Italy, June 2001

L Gnanaraj¹, R Brennan¹ and D G Cottrell¹

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK

Correspondence: DG Cottrell, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 4LP, UK. Tel: +191 282 5450; Fax: +191 227 5246; E-mail: d.g.cottrell@ ncl.ac.uk

Received 30 July 2001; Accepted 7 May 2002.

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Abstract

Objective To determine the long-term outcome of treatment for threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in one UK unit.

Methods A total of 35 infants diagnosed with threshold ROP were treated by a single ophthalmologist (DGC) between 1987 and 1998. The parents of the 29 surviving patients were contacted; 21 brought their child for special review of acuity, motility, refraction and fundoscopy (Group 1). Of the eight patients who were unable to attend, six patients (Group 2) had sufficient follow-up detail in their records to be included in the study.

Results A total of 40 eyes in the 21 patients in Group 1 had been treated; 10 had received cryotherapy (eight bilateral) and 11 had bilateral laser. Mean follow-up was 5 years (range 2–12 years). A total of 23 treated eyes (in 16 patients) had an acuity of 6/12+ (57.5% of treated eyes). Four eyes of three patients had no light perception. Seven eyes in four patients had myopia of more than 3 D. Eight patients had a manifest squint: six esotropia, two exotropia. The retinal status of 36 eyes (90%) showed a favourable outcome. The four blind eyes had stage 5 disease. In Group 2, four eyes of two patients (33%) had 6/12+ acuity recorded; five eyes in three patients had stage 5 disease and no perception of light. In total, a favourable structural outcome was achieved in 81.4% and favourable functional outcome observed in 74.6%.

Conclusion These results show that the favourable outcomes reported in the CRYO-ROP trial can be achieved in routine practice and maintained after long follow-up.