The factors responsible for impairment of vision and the algorithm for the regular medical check-up of the patients following retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

Objective. To develop the algorithm for the regular medical check-up of the patients following retinopathy of prematurity based on the investigation of the main factors responsible for the impairment of vision in the patients presenting with this pathology. Material and methods. A total of 655 patients (1307 eyes) at the age varying from 4 to 18 years with cicatrical retinopathy of prematurity were available for the examination, The standard methods employed for the ophthalmological examination were supplemented by optical coherent tomography, retinal tomography, registration of different kinds of electroretinograms, multichannel visual evoked potentials, computed perimetry, evaluation of spatial contrast sensitivity. Results. It was shown that the main factors responsible for the impairment of vision in the patients presenting with retinopathy of prematurity are the following ones: (1) the degree of residual changes in the fundus at the cicatrical stage of retinopathy of prematurity, (2) late complications, (3) the concomitant pathology of the conduction pathways and higher portions of the visual analyzer, (4) concomitant eye pathology, (5) refractive and oculomotor disorders, (6) functional incompetence of the retina due to prematurity and/or the consequences of retinopathy of prematurity suffered in the past. Conclusion. The organization of the regular medical check-up of the patients following retinopathy of prematurity implies the necessity of the comprehensive clinical and functional examination throughout the entire lifespan of the subjects with this pathology for the purpose of timely identification and correction of the revealed disorders.