Purpose: To examine potential changes in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) during adulthood due to prematurity and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), as assessed by measurements of FAZ area and circularity.
Methods: The Gutenberg Prematurity Eye Study (GPES) is a retrospective German cohort study with a prospective ophthalmologic examination of adults aged 18 to 52 years, born either preterm or full-term, utilizing spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography. Participants were categorized into groups based on gestational age and postnatal ROP status. The study employed multivariable linear regression analyses to explore associations with the FAZ.
Results: The study cohort comprised 380 right eyes from individuals born both preterm and full-term, with an average age of 28.4 +/- 8.6 years, including 214 females. The FAZ area decreased as gestational age decreased: FAZ was 0.28 ± 0.12 mm2 (control group), 0.21 ± 0.10 mm2 at GA 33-36 weeks, 0.18 ± 0.10 mm2 at GA 29-32 weeks, 0.11 ± 0.10 mm2 at GA ≤28 weeks, 0.11 ± 0.10 mm2 in ROP without treatment, and 0.11 ± 0.10 mm2 in those requiring ROP treatment. In the multivariable analyses, smaller FAZ was independently associated with gestational age (p<0.05), increased foveal retinal thickness (<0.05), and foveal hypoplasia (p<0.05).Moreover, no association was seen between visual acuity and FAZ.
Conclusion: The main perinatal factor associated with a smaller FAZ in this German cohort is preterm birth, while ROP, ROP treatment, or other perinatal factors do not affect FAZ observed in adulthood. A smaller FAZ shape in preterm individuals might be an indicator of foveal hypoplasia.