To characterize the distribution of persistent fetal vasculature (PFV) subtypes and to evaluate corneal astigmatism (CA) in children with unilateral PFV.

The medical records of patients diagnosed with PFV between January 2014 and August 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Corneal keratometry parameters were measured using IOLMaster or a handheld keratometer. Differences in CA between the affected and fellow eyes were analyzed in 52 unilateral PFV patients with available examination data.

Totally 133 patients diagnosed with PFV were retrospectively reviewed. The male-to-female ratio was 73/60. Median age at surgery was 38.03mo (interquartile range 58.27mo). Among the PFV patients, 32 (24.06%) had anterior PFV, 2 (1.50%) had posterior PFV, and 99 (74.44%) had combined anterior-posterior PFV. Mild combined PFV was the most common subtype. In unilateral PFV cases, the mean CA in the affected eye was 2.29±1.11 D, and 59.62% (31 eyes) had CA≥2.0 D. The mean CA in the affected eyes was significantly higher than in the fellow eyes (1.37±0.77 D; P<0.001). Among PFV-affected eyes with CA≥2.0 D, the steepest corneal meridian was vertically oriented in 30 cases (96.77%), while only 1 case (3.23%) had the steepest meridian oriented horizontally.

In children with unilateral PFV, CA is significantly higher in the affected eyes than in the fellow eyes, and the steepest corneal meridian was predominantly oriented vertically.