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Arch Ophthalmol. 2001;119:1525-1529.

Objective  To report the ocular abnormalities found in children born after in vitro fertilization.

Methods  Forty-seven children (25 girls and 22 boys) born after an in vitro fertilization pregnancy (mean ± SD birth weight, 2335 ± 817 g; range, 924-4300 g) and referred for ophthalmic evaluation were included in the study. All underwent a thorough ocular examination. Obstetric history was gathered following a detailed questionnaire with the mothers.

Results  Of 70 eyes among nonverbal children, visual acuity was "normal for age" in 60 (86%), "fair" in 4 (6%), and "poor" in 6 (9%). Visual acuity in 24 eyes in verbal children ranged from 6/6 to no light perception, with 4 (17%) having poor vision. Cycloplegic refraction disclosed an emmetropia in 22 (27%), hypermetropia in 47 (57%), and myopia in 13 (16%) of the eyes. Anisometropia of more than 1.0 diopters was found in 8 children. Major ocular malformations were observed in 12 (26%) of the 47 children. These malformations included Coats disease, congenital cataract, congenital glaucoma, hypoplastic optic nerve head, idiopathic optic atrophy, coloboma with microphthalmos, and retinoblastoma.

Conclusions  Ocular anomalies were frequently observed in this cohort of offspring born after in vitro fertilization. A diligent and prospective prenatal search for such malformations should unveil the real prevalence of ocular malformations in children born after in vitro fertilization.

Irene Anteby, MD; Evelyne Cohen, CO; Eyal Anteby, MD; David BenEzra, MD, PhD
From the Pediatric Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Ophthalmology (Drs I. Anteby, Cohen, and BenEzra) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Dr E. Anteby), Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. None of the authors have any proprietary interest in the products mentioned in this article.

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