Evaluation of Iridocorneal Angle, Choroidal Thickness, and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Children With a History of Retinopathy of Prematurity

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is proliferative retinopathy affecting premature infants associated with abnormal maturation of the retinal vasculature. We sought to evaluate iridocorneal angle, choroidal thickness, and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) of the children that have a history of ROP using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Patients and Methods: Fifty eyes of 28 children with a history of ROP and 46 eyes of 23 healthy school-aged children were included in this study. RNFLT, choroidal thickness, and iridocorneal angle parameters [trabecular iris angle, angle opening distance (AOD500), and trabecular iris space area (TISA500) 500 mu m from the scleral spur] were evaluated using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Student t test was used to compare the mean of the parameters. Correlations between the variables were investigated based on the Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: Subfoveal (ROP: 253.98 +/- 42.5; control: 286.2 +/- 71.9; P=0.045), 500 mu m (ROP: 242.04 +/- 41.8; control: 276.7 +/- 45.3; P=0.003), 1000 mu m (ROP: 237 +/- 39.7; control: 270.15 +/- 55.93; P=0.007), and 1500 mu m (ROP: 224.16 +/- 37.5; control: 259.75 +/- 55.2; P=0.003) temporal choroidal thicknesses were significantly thinner in ROP history children. None of the RNFLT parameters and ganglion cell complex thickness were different between groups. Iridocorneal angle parameters were significantly lower in children with ROP history. (trabecular iris angle: ROP=31.35 +/- 3.9 degrees, control=35.4 +/- 4.5 degrees, P<0.001; TISA500: ROP=0.167 +/- 0.05 mm(2), control=0.21 +/- 0.05 mm(2), P=0.003; AOD500: ROP=480.96 +/- 160.4 mu m, control=542.95 +/- 161.2 mu m, P=0.035). Conclusions: ROP is associated with differences in the iridocorneal angle. Possible iridocorneal angle pathology should be a consideration in children with a history of ROP.