Visual Functions in Children in Remote Postoperative Period after Laser Treatment of Threshold Stages of Retinopathy of Prematurity

Purpose.Analysis of visual functions in children in remote postoperative period after laser coagulation (LC) of threshold stages of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).Patients and methods. In 2017, we selected and investigated 18 children, who previously had an LC of threshold stages of ROP in 2008–2009 in the Khabarovsk branch of the S.N. Fyodorov State Institution Eye Microsurgery Complex (continuous sampling method). There were 5 boys and 13 girls aged from 8 to 9 years at the time of LC. Anterior and posterior eye segments of the eyes (biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy), visual acuity, clinical refraction, concomitant pathology were evaluated.Results. We have revealed that regressive ROP after LC is characterized by the presence of serious anatomical and functional changes in the eyes. First, these are refractive disorders, which revealed in 90.5% of cases. Most often revealed: myopic refraction — 61% of all cases, of which more than half (53%) is its high degree; or its combination with compound myopic astigmatism (77% eyes); anisometropia was detected in 39% children. These refractive disorders led to the development of strabismus (61% children) and mixed amblyopia (60%). Despite the combined ophthalmologic pathology, 17% children developed visual functions with achievement of binocular vision, in most children visual functions still continue to develop, although they are not high due to amblyopia. High visual acuity (from 0.8 and above) in both eyes was formed in 22% children; visual acuity in the range of 0.5–0.7 in both eyes was formed in 17% children. Unfortunately, 44.5% children at the time of examination had low visual functions (in the range of 0.05–0.4) in both eyes. Extremely low visual acuity (from 0.01 to 0.04) in both eyes was identified in 11% children; absolute blindness in one of the eyes was in 11% children.Conclusions. LC is reliable way to prevent vision loss from retinal detachment in children with threshold stages of ROP.