AUTHOR=Semeraro Francesco , Forbice Eliana , Nascimbeni Giuseppe , Cillino Salvatore , Bonfiglio Vincenza Maria Elena , Filippelli Maria Elena , Bartollino Silvia , Costagliola Ciro 

TITLE=Ocular Refraction at Birth and Its Development During the First Year of Life in a Large Cohort of Babies in a Single Center in Northern Italy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2019

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2019.00539

DOI=10.3389/fped.2019.00539

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=ABSTRACT 
The purpose of this study has been to investigate refraction at birth and during the first year of life in a large cohort of babies born in a single center in Northern Italy and to analyze refractive errors in relation to the gestational age at birth.
An observational ophthalmological assessment was performed within 24 h of birth to 12,427 newborns. Refraction was examined using streak retinoscopy, after administration of tropicamide (1%). Values between +0.50 ≤ D ≤ +4.00 were defined as physiological refraction at birth. Newborns out of physiological refraction were followed up during the first year of life. Comparative analyses were conducted in a subgroup of babies with known gestational age.
The following distribution of refraction at birth was recorded: 88.03% of the babies, physiological refraction; 5.03% moderate hyperopia; 2.14%, severe hyperopia; 3.4%, emmetropia; 0.45%, myopia; 0.94%, astigmatism; and 0.01%, anisometropia. By the first year of life, a reduction of hyperopia and astigmatism, and stabilization of myopia were observed. Preterm babies had a four times higher risk of congenital myopia and a three times higher risk of congenital emmetropia as compared to term babies.
Conclusions: Data obtained at birth changed during the first year of life, leading to a normalization of the refraction values. Gestational age at birth affects the incidence of refractive errors and amblyopia.