Search

Background and Objective: Retinopathy of prematurity is a complex developmental disease of retinal vessels in premature infants. Improvements in preterm care services are associated with an increased risk of advanced stages of retinopathy of prematurity. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of treated retinopathy of prematurity in premature infants on ocular structural outcomes. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 962 infants with retinopathy of prematurity referred to Al-Zahra Ophthalmology Hospital from 2018 to 2021. Based on the severity of the disease, the patients were followed up or treated with laser and intravitreal injection. In treated retinopathy of prematurity, structural outcomes of the eye were recorded as favorable and unfavorable outcomes. The favorable outcome was considered as regression of plus and new vessels, and unfavorable outcomes were considered as lens opacity and retinal detachment. Birth weight, gender, gestational age, mechanical ventilation, duration of oxygen use, history of radiation therapy, sepsis, respiratory distress, blood transfusion, and age at diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity were recorded and analyzed for each patient. Findings: The mean birth weight and gestational age at birth were 1760.65±457.90 grams and 32.37±2.39 weeks. 869 eyes were untreated and 93 eyes were treated. The incidence of adverse outcomes in those who were treated was 5.37%. Logistic regression test showed that gestational age, birth weight, stage of disease and area of retinal involvement had a significant relationship with adverse treatment outcomes (p=0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, in retinopathy of prematurity requiring treatment, lower gestational age, lower birth weight, more severe disease stage and more central involvement area should be considered as risk factors for adverse structural outcomes of treatment.