The impact of perinatal brain injury on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and optic nerve head parameters of premature children.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the impact of birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and perinatal brain injury (PBI) on optic nerve head (ONH) parameters and nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) in preterm children. METHODS: ONH parameters and RNFLT were examined prospectively in 5-15-year-old preterm and full-term children with RTVue-100 OCT (Optovue, USA). The parameters of the two groups were compared and possible influences of BW, GA, ROP, and PBI analyzed in preterm children. RESULTS: In total, 51 full-term and 55 preterm children were included. The mean age was 9.98 ± 3.4 years in full-term and 10.0 ± 2.5 years in preterm children. The mean GA in preterm children was 29.6 ± 3.8 weeks with a BW of 1523 ± 732 g. RNFLT was significantly lower in preterm than in full-term children in all but temporal quadrants. Cup area, volume, cup/disc area ratio, and horizontal cup/disc ratio (CDR) were significantly larger and rim area significantly thinner in preterm children. GA was positively correlated with superior, nasal, and overall RNFLT and negatively correlated with cup area, volume, and horizontal CDR. ROP stage correlated negatively with superior and nasal RNFLT. PBI was the only significant predicting factor for RNFL thinning in all but temporal quadrant in multiple regression analysis. Preterm children with PBI had a significantly larger optic cup (CDR 0.70 ± 0.33 vs. 0.37 ± 0.27) and thinner optic rim. CONCLUSION: PBI correlated strongest with RNFL thinning, a thinner optic rim, and a larger optic cup in preterm children and should be evaluated in each patient to prevent incorrect diagnosis like glaucoma.

Comparison of Optic Disc Parameters in Hyperopic and Emmetropic Eyes of Healthy Children with HRT and OCT.

PURPOSE: To investigate, through Heidelberg retina tomography II (HRT II) and RTVue-100 optical coherence tomography (OCT), normal parameters of the optic nerve head (ONH) in highly hyperopic children, and compare these with a group of children with low hyperopia and emmetropia, as fundus examination of highly hyperopic children often shows crowding of the optic disc, which may be difficult to distinguish from mild optic disc swelling. PATIENTS AND METHODS: ONH of the higher hyperopic eye was examined with HRT II and the peripapillary nerve fiber layer (RNFL) with RTVue-100, in 6 to 15-year-old full-term children with normal visual acuity and spherical equivalent ≥ + 3.0 D (hyperopic group) and < + 3.0 to - 1.0 D (emmetropic group). RESULTS: Thirty highly hyperopic children and 33 emmetropic controls had a mean spherical equivalent of + 5.1 ± 1.5 D and a mean age of 8.4 ± 2.8 years, and + 1.0 ± 1.2 D and 9.6 ± 2.6 years, respectively. There was no significant difference in OCT-assessed RNFL thickness between the two groups. Compared to the emmetropic group, following HRT parameters were significantly smaller in the hyperopic group: Disc area (1.41 vs. 1.68 mm2, p = 0.023), cup area (0.19 vs. 0.37 mm2, p = 0.0001), cup volume (0.03 vs. 0.08 mm3, p = 0.02), cup/disc area (0.13 vs. 0.20, p = 0.006), linear cup/disc (0.33 vs. 0.42, p = 0.004), and mean cup depth (0.13 vs. 0.17 mm, p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: In children, ONH of highly hyperopic eyes are smaller than those of emmetropic eyes. RNFL thickness and neural rim volume are similar to emmetropic eyes. They can therefore appear more crowded.