Density of the photoreceptor in the macula according to adaptive optics in primary and secondary school children after a retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the density of photoreceptors in the macula according to adaptive optics in secondary school children after a retino- phaty of prematurity Methods: Ophthalmoscopy with adaptive optics was performed in chil- dren using the RTX1 device (Imagine Eye, France). The inclusion criteria for the study were the age of children from 9 to 15 years, and retinopathy of prematurity in anamnesis, in which the pathological process regressed spontaneously. Depending on the gestational age ( GA) and body weight ( BW) at birth, children were divided into two groups. The first group in- cluded children, who were born very prematurely, 26–28 weeks G A and BW up to 1500 grams, the second group–those were born at 29–32 weeks GA and with BW up to 2500 grams. As a control, the studies were carried out in healthy children of the appropriate age. Photoreceptor density was assessed in the area of 4° from the center of the fovea in an area of 100 µm2 in each quadrant: superior temporal, superior nasal, inferior nasal and in- ferior temporal. During statistical analysis, the median of photoreceptor density by group and the level of significance of its difference were cal- culated. Results: 30 children (60 eyes) were examined. The study groups, matched for G A and B W, at the time of the study had a corrected visual acuity of 1.0 and the length of the anterior-posterior segment of the eye in the range from 22.2 to 23.7 mm. The first group included 10 deeply premature chil- dren (20 eyes), during the examination the photoreceptor density was 25063; the second group–10 premature children (20 eyes), the photore- ceptor density was 22308; in the control group were 10 full-term children (20 eyes), the photoreceptor density was 21222. However, in statistical analysis the difference was not significant. Conclusions: The density of retinal photoreceptors in our study did not differ statistically between premature children of primary and secondary school age with a self-regression of retinopathy of prematurity in anam- nesis and healthy children.