Longitudinal study of optic cup progression in children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the normative rate of cup-to-disc-ratio (C:D) progression in children and the effect of prematurity and low birth weight on this rate.


METHODS
In a single pediatric ophthalmology practice, a single examiner evaluated optic cup size by serial ophthalmoscopy over a minimum of 5 years in 92 patients (184 eyes) without intraocular surgery or optic nerve disease. A cross-sectional analysis of C:D was performed per year of age from 0 to 10 years and linear regression was used to compare C:D progression between preterm and term children and between low versus normal birth weight children.


RESULTS
Children exhibited progressive optic cupping. In term children, mean C:D increased by 0.0075 per year. Rate of mean C:D progression was double in children born preterm: 0.0160 (P = .049, comparison to term) per age-year. A similar, nonsignificant trend is observed when comparing low birth weight to normal children (P = .131).


CONCLUSIONS
Prematurity and low birth weight are associated with increased rate of cupping in children. Clinicians should recognize that C:D progression is not a specific sign of glaucoma in children.
Park
Hee-Jung
HJ
Zanvyl Krieger Children's Eye Center, Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Hampp
Christian
C
Demer
Joseph L
JL
D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000175:diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors