Degree of myopia connected to birth weight and ROP severity

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and birth weight are strongly linked to degree of myopia in children, according to a paper featured in the Journal of Optometry.

Dr Bariah Mohd-Ali et al., Optometry Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, conducted a retrospective review on 102 clinical records of preterm babies born between the years 2000 and 2008.

The information gathered included gender, race, age at birth, current age, birth weight, current weight, fundus examination records, visual acuity (VA), refraction and strabismus. Follow-up data from 1 to 6 years of age was also used in the investigation. Average birth weight was 1.37 ± 0.36 kg and average gestational age was 30.83 ± 2.42 weeks.

It was found that 38 of the 102 children had ROP and 64 didn't have ROP. Children with ROP developed myopia and children without ROP commonly developed hyperopia. Also, a significant improvement in VA was recorded as the children aged.

The study strongly suggests the consideration of birth weight and presence of ROP in children during the screening of vision and refractive error.