Absence of foveal depression and its association with refractive status and strabismus in children with history of retinopathy of prematurity

Objective: To evaluate the foveal depression (FD) status on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and its relationship with strabismus, amblyopia and refractive errors in children with a history of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).Material and Method: Medical records were reviewed for demographic data, ocular and medical history, systemic disorders, ophthalmologic and OCT findings. Patients were categorized into two groups according to foveal depression status on OCT: absence of FD (Non-FD Group) and presence of FD (FD Group). Demographic data, refractive errors (RE), strabismus, amblyopia and anisometropia were compared between the groups.Result: Mean age of the patients was 11.1 & PLUSMN;2.7 years in the Non-FD group and 10.1 & PLUSMN;2.9 years in the FD group (p=0.136). Mean gestastional age (GA) at birth and birth weight (BW) of the Non-FD group (28.8 & PLUSMN;2.7 weeks, 1269.1 & PLUSMN;455.5 grams) were significantly lower than those of the FD group (30.8 & PLUSMN;2.1weeks, 1530.8 & PLUSMN;415.2 grams) (p=0.002 and p=0.02, respectively). Although there was no significant difference between the groups in the mean spherical equivalent (SE) RE (-1.19 & PLUSMN; 4.86D in the Non-FD group and 0.77 & PLUSMN;4.08D in the FD group, p=0.09), the distribution of SE refractive errors was significantly different (p=0.001). 54.5% of patients in the Non-FD group had myopia and 72% of the patients in the FD group had hypermetropia. Mild myopia was significantly more in the Non-FD group and mild hypermetropia was significantly more in the FD group (p<0.05 for both). Astigmatism equal or greater than 1.50D was detected in 56.5% of the Non-FD group and 36% of the FD group (p>0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups in the incidence of strabismus, amblyopia and anisometropia (p>0.05). Conclusion: We detected lower GA and BW in the Non-FD group than those of the FD group. Myopia is more prevalent in patients with a history of ROP and absence of FD than in those with a normal foveal structure.