Electroretinographic findings in stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity after retinal reattachment.
BACKGROUND
Infants with stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) usually experience severe visual loss, even when the retina is reattached surgically. Such visual loss has been attributed to persistent retinal dysfunction in most cases, but this has not been established electroretinographically.


METHODS
Electroretinograms (ERGs) were performed on 5 eyes of 4 children with partial or complete retinal attachment after vitreoretinal surgery for stage 5 ROP. Duration of detachment before surgery was 2 weeks in 1 eye, 4-5.5 weeks in 3 eyes, and 15 weeks in 1 eye. The ERG findings for these eyes were then compared with ERG findings in a child with regressed ROP after laser photoablation of the peripheral avascular retina.


RESULTS
All of the eyes with surgically repaired stage 5 ROP had nonrecordable ERGs. The child with regressed ROP after laser photoablation had an attenuated but recordable ERG.


CONCLUSIONS
Severe retinal dysfunction persists in eyes with stage 5 ROP even after the retina is surgically reattached, which is probably one of the primary reasons that these eyes continue to have a poor visual outcome.
Cherry
T A
TA
Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Lambert
S R
SR
Capone
A
A
D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012591:Scleral Buckling; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy