DR. SHALINI BUTOLA

DR. NIVEDHITHA NIKHIL, DR. SUNEETHA N LOBO, DR. NEELIMA MATHEW

Abstract

Aim: To compare refraction, keratometry and biometry readings between premature and term babies at 40 weeks post conceptional age

Method: Prospective case control study of 10 preterm (cases) and 10 term (controls) infants

Results: The mean gestational age of cases and controls was 31.2 +/-2.23 and 38.65 +/-0.727 weeks. The mean birth weight of cases and controls was 1.466 +/-0.251kgs and 3.096 +/-0.502kgs. The differences between the groups in parameters including axial length (p=0.23), lens thickness (p=0.321) and refractive error (p=0.690) were not found to be statistically significant. Preterm infants were however found to have steeper corneal curvatures (6.43 +/- 1.71mm) compared to controls (7.19 +/- 0.253mm) with p value showing a trend to significance (p=0.067).

Conclusion: Our study results reveal that preterm infants have steeper corneal curvature as compared to term infants. This could be the major refractive determinant contributing to Myopia of Prematurity.