Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2025 May 1;14(5):17. doi: 10.1167/tvst.14.5.17.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study investigates optic disc and macular morphology using handheld spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in preterm infants with and without brain pathology.
METHODS: In this prospective observational study, premature newborns underwent handheld SD-OCT at 36 weeks postmenstrual age. Semiautomated quantitative OCT analysis was performed including the optic disc and macula. Routine head ultrasound radiology reports were obtained from the medical record.
RESULTS: A total of 69 patients (35 male and 34 female) were included. The average birth weight was 982.7 ± 277.4 g and gestational age was 27.99 ± 2.57 weeks. Extremely preterm infants born at <28 weeks’ gestation had a larger cup diameter (P = 0.006), thinner nasal neural rim thickness (P = 0.010), and deeper maximal cup depth (P = 0.010) compared with preterm infants (≥28 weeks’ gestation). Brain lesions on ultrasound examination were detected in 15 patients (21.7%), with all having intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and 2 patients also presenting with periventricular leukomalacia. Patients with IVH had a thicker central macular retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, and inner plexiform layer than those without IVH (P = 0.029, P = 0.022, and P = 0.002). These differences persisted after adjusting for retinopathy of prematurity stage (P = 0.042, P = 0.034, and P = 0.007, respectively). When controlling for gestational age, the ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer differences remained (P = 0.011 and P = 0.032, respectively). Optic nerve parameters did not differ between infants with and without IVH.
CONCLUSIONS: IVH was associated independently with arrested foveal maturation with no discernible effect on optic disc morphology in the preterm newborn period.
TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: The macular structural changes detected by SD-OCT in preterm newborns with brain pathology may suggest the need for closer monitoring of visual development in these infants.
PMID:40402543 | DOI:10.1167/tvst.14.5.17
