Refractive status of children under the age of three years born premature without retinopathy of prematurity.

OBJECTIVES: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine and compare the refractive status of premature children without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and full term children below the age of three years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy children were examined. One group comprised of 40 children born premature without ROP and another group consisted of 30 children born full term and normal. Refractive error was determined using the Mohindra technique. RESULTS: Children below the age of three years born premature without ROP were significantly less hyperopic compared to children born full term and normal (t = 3.76, p = 0.0003). Our results show that children born premature without ROP are emmetropic when compared to children born full term. CONCLUSION: It is appears that emmetropization does occur in children born premature and full term. RESULTS: Need to be written in a new paragraph and in italics