Light reduction and the electroretinogram of preterm infants
a Department of Pediatrics,
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at
Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75235, USA, b The
Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, Texas, c Department of Ophthalmology, The
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Correspondence to: Dr Kathleen Kennedy.
Accepted 13 January 1997
AIMS
To examine the effects of light on retinal
development and function in preterm infants as measured by the
electroretinogram (ERG). Secondary outcomes included visual acuity
testing, the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity, and general
wellbeing, reflected in feeding tolerance, rate of weight gain, and
length of hospital stay.
METHODSEligibility criteria for enrolment were
birthweight 
1250 g and gestational age 31 weeks. Sixty one
infants were randomly allocated by 6 hours after birth to a control or
treatment group which wore 97% light filtering goggles for a minimum
of four weeks or until the infant reached 31 weeks postmenstrual age.
RESULTSThere were no significant differences
between the two groups in the numbers of electroretinograms performed
at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age. Although the sample size was not
large enough to exclude clinically important differences in secondary
outcomes, no significant differences were observed between the groups
in visual acuity testing at 4-6 months corrected age, incidence of retinopathy of prematurity, weight gain, or length of stay.
CONCLUSIONThese data support the safety and
feasibility of this intervention. A much larger study will be needed to
determine whether light reduction to the eyes of very low birthweight
infants will reduce the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity or
enhance general wellbeing.
© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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