title: Refractive errors after cryotherapy in retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: Because of acute retinopathy of prematurity 14 premature infants (900-1,630 g birth weight) were treated with cryocoagulation (10 children, both eyes; 4 only one eye) between 1976 and 1984 and were followed up until they were 2-7 years of age. The average refractive power of 20 eyes (those in which refraction could be determined) was -1.5 +/- 4.1 dptr. Twelve eyes (60.0%) were hyperopic (average: +1.3 +/- 0.4 dptr), and 8 eyes (40.0%) were myopic (average: -5.7 +/- 3.6 dptr). Three eyes in which cryocoagulation was done twice or three times because of a severe course developed pronounced myopia (greater than 7.0 dptr). When comparing both eyes of 4 children in whom cryotherapy had been carried out in only one eye, cryotherapy was found to have no influence on refractive errors (average anisometropia +0.4 +/- 0.4 dptr).
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Mannheim Medical Center, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, University of Heidelberg, FRG.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seiberth
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Knorz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Trinkmann
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000209:etiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009216:Myopia / Q000209:etiology; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000209:etiology*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000601:surgery*