FIVE-YEAR VISUAL OUTCOME OF TREATMENT FOR RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY IN INFANTS WEIGHING <500 G AT BIRTH

Purpose: To investigate the 5-year treatment outcomes of retinopathy of prematurity in infants <500 g birth weight and compare laser and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies. Methods: A multicenter retrospective study comprised 24 eyes of 13 patients treated for Type 1 retinopathy of prematurity, followed for 5 years. Initial treatment was laser and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor in 13 and 11 eyes, respectively. Data collected included sex, birth characteristics, retinopathy of prematurity characteristics at the time of treatment, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spherical equivalent, and astigmatism at 5 years posttreatment. Results: Median BCVA was 0.15 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (interquartile range, 0.0-0.5). Snellen BCVA was >= 20/40 in 73% and >= 20/20 in 27% of eyes. Median spherical equivalent was -2.37 (interquartile range, -6.1 to -0.1); 75% had myopia (<=-0.5 D), and 25% had high myopia (<=-6.0 D). Median astigmatism was 1.25 (interquartile range, 0.9-3.0); 46% had >= 1.5 D. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor-treated eyes showed less myopia (P < 0.009), with no BCVA or astigmatism difference (P = 0.997, P = 0.271) compared with laser-treated eyes. Conclusion: One-quarter of the eyes exhibited good visual acuity (Snellen BCVA of >= 20/20) 5 years after retinopathy of prematurity treatment. Refractive errors were common. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy may be superior to laser therapy in myopic refractive error.