Ophthalmic findings in neonates receiving sildenafil

Aim To determine the risk of ocular complications of sildenafil therapy in neonates. Methods Retrospective case review of neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn who received sildenafil therapy between 2010 and 2015 in a single, tertiary surgical neonatal intensive care unit in Australia. Ophthalmic examination findings in the neonatal intensive care unit and follow‐up were examined. Results Twenty‐seven neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn received sildenafil. The median gestational age (GA) was 38 weeks (range 24–41 weeks), and median birthweight was 2690 g (range 454–4270 g). Ophthalmic review was undertaken in 23 neonates, and 16 neonates were term or near‐term infants (GA 31–40 weeks). All of them had a normal initial ophthalmic examination; one child was later diagnosed with hypermetropia and another with infantile esotropia. Amongst the seven premature infants (GA 24–30 weeks), three had retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) diagnosed at the first ophthalmic review and the other four had normal initial examinations. Two patients later developed ROP, one of whom was also diagnosed with congenital motor nystagmus. All five patients diagnosed with ROP were extremely preterm (