Ophthalmologic Care of Former Preterm and Full-Term Infants during Their Childhood and Adolescence – A Retrospective View of Their Parents

Abstract

Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ophthalmologic care in childhood and adolescence of infants born preterm and full-term from the retrospective point of view of their parents.

Methodology The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) is a retrospective cohort study with a prospective ophthalmologic examination of persons born preterm and full-term between 1969 and 2002 (now aged 18 to 52 years), and asks their parents about the ophthalmologic care received by their children in childhood and adolescence from their retrospective perspective. Participants and their parents were grouped into those with normal gestational age (GA) ≥ 37 (control group), preterm born infants without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and gestational age (GA) 33 – 36 (group 2), GA 29 – 32 (group 3), GA ≤ 28 weeks (group 4), and those with ROP without treatment (group 5) and with ROP with treatment (group 6). Parents of participants were interviewed about the ophthalmic care received by their children.

Results In total, data from 57 full-term and 131 preterm infants and their parents were included in the present study. The parents of the participants reported that ophthalmologic examination had taken place until 6 years of age in the respective groups 1 to 6 in 22/57 (38.6%), 33/58 (56.9%), 22/38 (57.9%), 3/6 (50%), 19/21 (90.5%), and 7/8 (87.5%). Overall, between 83% and 100% of parents in the different groups reported that ophthalmologic care had been adequate. A change of ophthalmologist due to dissatisfaction with treatment was reported by a total of 4/57 (7%), 9/58 (15.5%), 8/38 (21.1%), 1/6 (16.7%), 1/21 (4.8%) and 2/8 (25%) in the respective groups.

Discussion The present study demonstrates adequate satisfaction and good treatment regarding ophthalmologic care of former preterm children from the parentsʼ perspective. Especially parents of children with ROP rated the treatment positively.

Fazitbox

Bereits bekannt:

• Ehemals frühgeborene Kinder weisen häufiger amblyogene Risikofaktoren wie z. B. Brechkraftfehler und Schielen auf.

• Frühgeborene Kinder benötigen engmaschige augenärztliche Betreuung, um Augenerkrankungen frühzeitig zu detektieren und falls nötig zu therapieren.

• Die vorliegende Arbeit liefert erstmalig Daten zur augenärztlichen Versorgung früh- und reifgeborener Personen über den Zeitraum von der Geburt bis zum Erwachsenenalter.

Neu beschrieben:

• Insgesamt zeigt sich eine gute Behandlungszufriedenheit der Eltern hinsichtlich der augenärztlichen Betreuung von früh- und reifgeborenen Kindern, insbesondere bei Kindern mit ROP. Außerdem empfand der Großteil der Eltern die augenärztliche Betreuung ihrer Kinder als ausreichend.

• Beim Vergleich von Teilnehmenden im aktuellen Alter über 30 Lebensjahren und unter 30 Lebensjahren zeigten sich keine bedeutenden Unterschiede hinsichtlich der zurückliegenden Behandlungszufriedenheit der Eltern. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass die augenärztliche Versorgung schon seit mehreren Jahrzehnten als ausreichend empfunden wird.

Conclusion box

What we already know:

• Those who had been born prematurely exhibit amblyogenic risk factors more frequently, such as refractive error and strabismus.

• Prematurely born children require close ophthalmological care in order to detect eye disorders early on and treat them if necessary.

• This study has presented data for the very first time on the ophthalmological care provided to prematurely and maturely born infants from birth to reaching adulthood.

New findings:

• Overall, parents report high satisfaction with treatment in regards to ophthalmological care provided to prematurely and maturely born children, particularly children with ROP. Additionally, the majority of parents viewed the ophthalmological care provided to their children as adequate.

• In a comparison of participants currently over 30 years old with those under 30 years old, there were no significant differences in terms of parentsʼ prior dissatisfaction with treatment. This indicates that ophthalmological care has been viewed as satisfactory for decades already.

Key words

gestational age - birth weight - retinopathy of prematurity - ophthalmic care - epidemiology

Publication History

Received: 11 March 2022

Accepted: 21 June 2022

Article published online:
18 October 2022

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