Outcome of retinal detachments due to ROP usually poor, study finds

Visual outcomes of retinal detachments as a result of retinopathy of prematurity are generally poor, according to a study.

Members of the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity study group analyzed data from 401 infants with bilateral high-risk prethreshold ROP. One eye was randomized to early treatment, and the fellow eye was managed conventionally.

Retinal detachments occurred in 89 eyes of 63 patients. Follow-up was available for 78 eyes of 56 patients. Detachments were bilateral in 21 patients; they were classified as stage 4A in 30 eyes, stage 4B in 14 eyes and stage 5 in 16 eyes. Of the eyes, 66 underwent vitreoretinal surgery.

Attachment of the macula at 9 months was achieved in 17 of 56 eyes after vitrectomy with or without scleral buckle, in six of 10 eyes after scleral buckle only and in two of 12 eyes followed up without surgery.

Only 17% of eyes achieved a favorable visual acuity. All six eyes that maintained a normal visual acuity had a stage 4A detachment. Eleven eyes with stage 5 detachment underwent vitreoretinal surgery; six resulted in no light perception, three had light perception only, and two had detection of only the low vision card.

The study is published in the January issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.