OCULAR BIOMETRY IN PRETERM INFANTS WITHOUT RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

Serial ocular A-scan ultrasound biometry was performed on 100 pre-term infants (less than 32 weeks gestation and/or less than 1500 g) who di d not show features of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) during a scree ning programme. Axial length increased from 15.38 +/- 0.25 mm at 33 we eks post-menstrual age to 16.88 +/- 0.59 mm at 41 weeks (rate of growt h 0.18 mm/week, r = 0.99). The rate of growth appeared to slow down af ter 40 weeks (term) to 3 months post-term. Male infants had longer eye s and a greater rate of growth than female infants. Axial length (AL) was significantly correlated with birth weight, biparietal and occipit o-frontal diameter in the weeks after birth. Between weeks 33 and 41, the anterior chamber depth (ACD) increased from 1.92 +/- 0.13 mm to 2. 43 +/- 0.18 mm, and Lens thickness (LT) increased from 3.82 +/- 0.33 m m to 3.90 +/- 0.13 mm. The largest percentage growth between weeks 33 and 41 occurred in ACD (22%), followed bg vitreal length (10%), AL (9% ) and LT (2%). These data will help in future studies on the role whic h ROP plays in the development of ocular growth.