Ophthalmologic Care of Former Preterm and Full-Term Infants during Their Childhood and Adolescence - A Retrospective View of Their Parents

Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ophthalmologic care in childhood and adolescence of infants born preterm and full-term from the retrospective point of view of their parents. Methodology The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) is a retrospective cohort study with a prospective ophthalmologic examination of persons born preterm and full-term between 1969 and 2002 (now aged 18 to 52 years), and asks their parents about the ophthalmologic care received by their children in childhood and adolescence from their retrospective perspective. Participants and their parents were grouped into those with normal gestational age (GA) >= 37 (control group), preterm born infants without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and gestational age (GA) 33-36 (group 2), GA 29-32 (group 3), GA <= 28 weeks (group 4), and those with ROP without treatment (group 5) and with ROP with treatment (group 6). Parents of participants were interviewed about the ophthalmic care received by their children. Results In total, data from 57 full-term and 131 preterm infants and their parents were included in the present study. The parents of the participants reported that ophthalmologic examination had taken place until 6 years of age in the respective groups 1 to 6 in 22/57 (38.6%), 33/58 (56.9%), 22/38 (57.9%), 3/6 (50%), 19/21 (90.5%), and 7/8 (87.5%). Overall, between 83% and 100% of parents in the different groups reported that ophthalmologic care had been adequate. A change of ophthalmologist due to dissatisfaction with treatment was reported by a total of 4/57 (7%), 9/58 (15.5%), 8/38 (21.1 %), 1/6 (16.7%), 1/21 (4.8%) and 2/8 (25%) in the respective groups. Discussion The present study demonstrates adequate satisfaction and good treatment regarding ophthalmologic care of former preterm children from the parents' perspective. Especially parents of children with ROP rated the treatment positively.