title: A population-based study on the visual outcome in 10-year-old preterm and full-term children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the visual outcome in prematurely born and full-term children at the age of 10 years and to evaluate the effects of prematurity per se, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and cryotreatment on visual acuity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 216 prematurely born children and 217 children born at term from the same geographical area and study period. Best-corrected distance and near visual acuities were assessed with linear letter logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution charts. Crowding was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prematurely born children had reduced distance and near visual acuities compared with full-term children, even when children who had retinopathy of prematurity and neurologic disorders were excluded (P<.001). Children who had been treated with cryotherapy had the highest risk of a reduced visual acuity. Two percent of the prematurely born children were visually impaired (<20/60).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we found an overall good visual outcome in the prematurely born cohort, the risk of reduced visual acuity was greater than in full-term children. Children who had been treated with cryotherapy had the highest risk, but prematurity per se was also associated with reduced visual acuity.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Ophthalmology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Agneta C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rydberg
authors.forename: Gerd E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Holmström
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D017679:Cryotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D047929:Term Birth / Q000502:physiology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*