Ambient light, ophthalmic artery blood flow velocities and retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

Exposure to bright light was recently proposed as a possible risk factor for the development of retinopathy of prematurity. A semi-longitudinal Doppler ultrasound study was conducted of ophthalmic artery flow velocities at normal and increased ambient light in 22 preterm infants, at post-menstrual ages from 28 to 37 weeks. The aim of this study was to obtain relationships between ophthalmic artery blood flow velocities at various post-menstrual ages and lighting conditions and the occurrence of retinopathy of prematurity. A gradual increase in average blood flow velocities was seen between 28 and 37 weeks. A stepwise increase in flow velocity was seen in all cases when ambient light was increased from moderate to intense. Five of the 22 infants developed retinopathy. No association could be established between ophthalmic artery flow velocities or light-induced changes in flow velocity and the occurrence of retinopathy.

Longitudinal assessment of plus disease in retinopathy of prematurity using color Doppler imaging

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] Unfortunately, the limited data available have been inconclusive, contradictory, or limited to measurements at a single point in time. Holland and colleagues 1 performed a single set of CDI measurements of the central retinal artery on 22 premature infants undergoing examination for ROP.…”

A Change in Ocular Circulation after Photocoagulation for Retinopathy of Prematurity in a Neonate

“…Research groups using LSFG [6] and color Doppler imaging (CDI) [10, 11] have reported that the ocular blood flow increases over the course of several weeks after birth. In our patient's case, the blood flow that is believed to increase over several weeks for growth decreased following the photocoagulation for ROP.…”

Fetal Ophthalmic Artery Blood Flow Velocity Waveforms

“…Recently, color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound have been utilized to investigate neonatal ocular diseases, espe cially ROP [2][3][4], However, there is no report on the etiol ogy of ROP, from the view point of in utero fetal bulbar hemodynamics. In our study, the period of the maximum PI for the OA during pregnancy coincided with the period of highest ROP prevalence [20].…”

“…Color Doppler flow imaging and pulsed Doppler ultrasound have been used to investigate ocular circulato ry insufficiency, especially retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) [2][3][4], ROP is explained as abnormal neovasculari zation followed by retinal ischemic and hypoxic change in the premature infant [5], Therefore, ophthalmic artery (OA) velocimetry might be a useful technique to predict and prevent the occurrence of ROP.…”