Regressed retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and its sequelae has been a
nalysed in pre-term born children with a birth weight < 1500 g and/or
< 33 weeks of gestational age, born in Stockholm during 1976-81. At th
e age of 5-10 years, we found that 134 of 528 preterm born children (2
5.4%) had been at departments of ophthalmology in Stockholm for variou
s reasons. These children were re-examined and a good eye fundus infor
mation could be obtained in 105. Moderate and severe regressed ROP was
found in 48 and 13 children, respectively. In the Stockholm area the
frequency of children with severe ROP (earlier called cicatricial ROP)
was 2.5% out of the above risk group of 528. Two children were blind
from ROP (0.4%). Ten children had a visual acuity less-than-or-equal-t
o 0.3 in the worse eye (1.9%) and 7 of them had ROP changes. Children
with a birth weight < 1000 g had the highest frequency of ROP (severe
11.6% and moderate 18.6%) and ocular complications. The results show t
hat preterm born children often present ocular complications, and ther
efore they need a close follow-up.