Beschreibung:
AbstractAim: To evaluate the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and other ocular morbidities in extremely premature infants.Methods: A retrospective analysis of the prevalence and nature of ocular abnormalities in a cohort of 22 extremely pre‐term infants born <25 + 0 weeks of estimated gestational age (GA) was performed.Results: The children were grouped according to the observed disorder: 13 out of 22 (59%) neonates with mild ophthalmologic findings (ROP ≤ stage II) [Group 1], 5 out of 22 (23%) infants with ROP stage III or more (Group 2) and 4 out of 22 (18%) neonates with severe ocular morbidity (congenital cataract, microphthalmia, partial optic nerve atrophy and corneal perforation due to an ulcer with lens protrusion), partly combined with ROP ≥ stage III (three of four). One child of 22 (5%) needed laser therapy. Out of 22 admitted infants, 20 (91%) were discharged alive.Conclusion: The high rate of ocular morbidity besides ROP in extremely pre‐term infants is noteworthy. Mechanisms influencing the postnatal development of the eye, especially their relation to the grade of prematurity and neonatological therapeutical strategies, require further investigations.