Visual loss after nonocular surgery is rare but devastating. Peak rates of perioperative visual loss are with heart and spine surgery. The two possible main causes of visual loss after cardiac surgery are ischemic optic neuropathy and retinal ischemia due to embolism and / or low perfusion secondary to hemodynamic changes through cardiopulmonary bypass within the retinal, optic nerve and choroidal circulation. Stable preservation of some hemodynamic factors during cardiac surgery seems to be the key to stop visual loss. The purpose of this article is to briefly review perioperative visual loss after cardiac surgery.

Background: Since Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness, the identification of contributed risk factors is crucial. In recent years, great attention has been paid to maternal factors. The reason is that maternal factors can directly affect fetus via intrauterine hypoxia. However, the results of this studies are conflicting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal factors on the development of ROP. Methods: In a prospective study, 150 premature infants with the gestational age of less than 32 weeks and birth weight of less than 1500 grams were examined. They divided into two groups based on ophthalmologic examination; those with ROP and those without ROP. Variables of study including maternal age, injection of corticosteroid in the last week of pregnancy, history of maternal diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, hypertension, anemia, thyroid, renal, cardiovascular and rheumatologic diseases were compared between groups. Results: Forty-seven infants (31.33 %) had ROP. The mean age of gestational age was 27.89 weeks in ROP group and 29.06 weeks in non-ROP group. The mean birth weight was 1180.53 grams in ROP group and 1079.44 grams in non-ROP group. There were no statistically important differences regarding to maternal factors between two groups. Conclusion: The above mentioned maternal factors have no effect on the development of ROP.