Home | Browse | Search | My Settings | Alerts | Help

Quick Search | Title, abstract, keywords |  | Author |  | e.g. j s smith |
| Journal/book title |  | Volume |  | Issue |  | Page |  |

|  |  | 25 of 40 |

Ophthalmology
Volume 106, Issue 7 , 1 July 1999, Pages 1409-1413

|  | This Document |  |
|  |  | Abstract |  |
|  | External Links |  |
|  | Actions |  |
|  |  | Cited By |  |
|  |  | Save as Citation Alert |  |
|  |  | E-mail Article |  |
|  |  | Export Citation |  |

doi:10.1016/S0161-6420(99)00732-0
Copyright © 1999 American Academy of Ophthalmology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.

##

A small foveal avascular zone may be an historic mark of prematurity*1

Presented in part as a poster at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 1998.

Helen A. Mintz-Hittner MD1, 2, , , Donna M. Knight-Nanan MD1, Dale R. Satriano1, 2 and Frank L. Kretzer PhD2
1 Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Texas Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA
2 Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
Received 29 November 1998; revised 19 March 1999; accepted 19 March 1999; Manuscript no. 98761. Available online 29 July 2003.

## Abstract

## Objective

To compare in children the area and diameter of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) of former preterm infants, when no significant retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) developed, to the area and diameter of the FAZ of former term infants.

## Design

Retrospective observational case series and literature review.

## Participants

Forty-nine children (39 former preterm infants and 10 former term infants) between the ages of 1 and 17 years had fluorescein angiograms. All of these children had been appropriate weight for gestational age at birth and had no genetic disorders. Neither eye of any of these children had any macular ectopia or vessel traction, had been treated for active ROP, had developed active ROP >stage 3 mild, or had any refractive error >± five diopters. Every child had a visual acuity of 20/40 or better in both eyes.

## Methods

The area and greatest diameter of the FAZ were measured using digital image analysis of masked fundus fluorescein angiograms. Variables of gender, race, multiple birth, gestational age, birth weight, ROP stage, age, and refraction at the time of fluorescein angiography, and final visual acuity were recorded.

## Results

Increasing FAZ area and greatest diameter correlated significantly with increasing gestational age and birth weight: FAZ area (μm2) versus gestational age (weeks) (R/F/P = 0.88/166.70/<0.0001); FAZ greatest diameter (μm) versus gestational age (weeks) (R/F/P = 0.87/151.10/<0.0001); FAZ area (μm2) versus birth weight (g) (R/F/P = 0.88/167.06/<0.0001); and FAZ greatest diameter (μm) versus birth weight (g) (R/F/P = 0.87/148.74/<0.0001). A small or absent FAZ was found in all former preterm infants who had been ≤30 weeks gestational age or had weighed ≤1100 g at birth. A normal FAZ was present in all children who had been ≥36 weeks gestational age or had weighed ≥2650 g at birth. None of the other parameters studied correlated with FAZ area or greatest diameter.

## Conclusion

This study provides evidence that the FAZ in developing humans is initially densely vascularized with a fine meshwork of inner retinal vessels during vasculogenesis. This vascular meshwork undergoes regression by apoptosis in all infants ≥36 weeks gestational age at birth to form a normal FAZ, but apoptosis almost never occurs in preterm infants ≤30 weeks gestational age at birth. Although there is no effect on final visual acuity, a small or absent FAZ may be an historic mark of prematurity.

Corresponding author. Reprint requests to Helen A. Mintz-Hittner, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Texas Houston Medical School, 6410 Fannin, Suite 920, , Houston, TX 77030-5204 , USA

*1 Supported in part by unrestricted grants from the Hennann Eye Fund and the J. M. West Texas Corp., Houston, Texas (HMH), Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, New York (HMH and FLK), NIH grant EYO2520 (FLK), and Vision Core NIH grant EY10608 (HMH).

|  | This Document |  |
|  |  | Abstract |  |
|  | External Links |  |
|  | Actions |  |
|  |  | Cited By |  |
|  |  | Save as Citation Alert |  |
|  |  | E-mail Article |  |
|  |  | Export Citation |  |
Ophthalmology Volume 106, Issue 7 , 1 July 1999, Pages 1409-1413

|  |  |  | 25 of 40 |

Home | Browse | Search | My Settings | Alerts | Help

About ScienceDirect | Contact Us | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. ScienceDirect® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V.