Ultrasound biomicroscopy in the screening of retinopathy of prematurity.

Abstract

To report the use of ultrasound biomicroscopy in the screening of two premature infants with retinopathy of prematurity. Observational case reports. A premature infant born at 26 weeks' gestation had bilateral stage II, zone II retinopathy of prematurity at 36 weeks' gestation and was imaged with ultrasound biomicroscopy. A second premature infant born at 25 weeks' gestation developed subthreshold stage III, zone II retinopathy of prematurity in the right eye and was imaged with ultrasound biomicroscopy. In case 1, ultrasound biomicroscopy imaged a ridge present nasally in zone II of the right eye, consistent with stage II retinopathy of prematurity. In case 2, ultrasound biomicroscopy imaged a neovascular frond present nasally in zone II of the right eye, consistent with stage III retinopathy of prematurity. Ultrasound biomicroscopy may be useful for screening retinopathy of prematurity, when optical methods fail to visualize the peripheral retina.