Gestational birth age is strongly correlated with central macular thickness

A recent study featured in the British Journal of Ophthalmology has demonstrated that prematurely born children have a thicker central macular than children born at term.

Professor Gerd Holmström et al., Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Sweden, studied 65 prematurely born children between the ages of 5–16 years and 55 children born at term with Stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT). The foveal minimum, total macular volume and retinal macular thickness in nine macular areas were evaluated.

There was no correlation between macular thickness and refraction or visual acuity. It was found that children with previous retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) had a thicker macular than those who didn't. Children born without ROP still had a thicker macular than the control group. The results revealed that prematurity highly influences central macular thickness and is the most significant risk factor for abnormal foeval development.