Kurzfassung

Premature birth accompanied by low birth weight and low gestational age interrupts abruptly infants’ development affecting ocular growth and ocular morphology. Especially low birth weight was found to be an important parameter associated with multiple alterations of the anterior segment. In various studies an association was found in infants aged below adolescence between low birth weight and higher astigmatism, lower anterior chamber depth, thicker crystalline lens, smaller axial length, and...Premature birth accompanied by low birth weight and low gestational age interrupts abruptly infants’ development affecting ocular growth and ocular morphology. Especially low birth weight was found to be an important parameter associated with multiple alterations of the anterior segment. In various studies an association was found in infants aged below adolescence between low birth weight and higher astigmatism, lower anterior chamber depth, thicker crystalline lens, smaller axial length, and higher corneal aberrations in dependence on gestational age and birth weight. In the Gutenberg Health Study low birth weight is even linked to visual acuity and refractive long-term outcome far beyond childhood. Individuals with low BW are more likely to have lower visual acuity and a higher myopic refractive error in adulthood. However, hardly any data exist about the influence of low birth weight on long term changes of the anterior segment and axial length in the period after childhood. Results from the Wiesbaden Prematurity Study including 503 children until 10 years of age suggest that the difference between preterm and full term born infants decreases during aging. It is still unclear whether these differences in ocular biometry are still present in adulthood.

Aims:

• To evaluate associations of anterior segment morphology and axial length in relation to birth weight.