OPHTHALMIC EXAMINATION OF CHILDREN OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

Although oxygen as the cause of retrolental fibroplasia has been recognized for some time, new cases continue to appear. Examination of the eyes of 43 children who weighed less than 1,300 gm when first admitted to the Premature Center of the University of Washington Hospital, revealed six cases of retrolental fibroplasia. Severe visual impairment of affected patients existed. Only one case of retrolental fibroplasia is known to exist in 911 survivors of hospital admission weight greater than 1,300 gm. The reasons for the continued appearance of new cases of retrolental fibroplasia, together with proposed approaches to reducing the number of such cases, are given. Ophthalmic examination of all children of extremely low birth weight is advocated. © 1969.