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Peripheral and central visual fields in 11-year-old children who had been born prematurely and at term
Eva Larsson1, Lene Martin, Gerd Holmström
1Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Insights
Peripheral visual fields were constricted in prematurely born children treated for severe ROP. Central visual fields showed reduced neural capacity in premature infants, irrespective of ROP or treatment.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Premature birth can impact visual development.
- Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a significant concern in premature infants.
- Visual field deficits may persist into childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare peripheral and central visual fields in children born prematurely versus at term.
- To investigate the impact of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) and its treatment on visual fields.
- To assess the neural capacity of central visual fields in these populations.
Main Methods:
- Four groups of 11-year-olds were studied: term-born controls, premature without ROP, premature with untreated ROP, and premature with treated ROP.
- Peripheral visual fields assessed using Goldmann perimetry.
- Central visual fields evaluated using static high-pass resolution perimetry within 30 degrees.
Main Results:
- Peripheral visual fields were constricted in children who underwent cryotreatment for severe ROP.
- No significant differences in peripheral visual fields were found between term-born, premature without ROP, and premature with untreated ROP groups.
- Central visual fields showed reduced neural capacity in premature children, particularly in the left eye, unrelated to ROP or cryotreatment.
Conclusions:
- Cryotreatment for severe ROP may lead to peripheral visual field constriction, though the cause (treatment vs. ROP severity) is unclear.
- Premature birth is associated with a tendency for reduced neural capacity in central visual fields.
- The observed central visual field changes in premature infants appear to reflect altered retinocortical neural channels, independent of ROP or its treatment.
Purpose:
To examine the peripheral and central visual fields in children who had been born prematurely and at term.
Methods:
Four groups of 11-year-old children were examined: group 1 included 24 children who had been born at term (control group); group 2 included 20 children who had been born prematurely without ROP; group 3 included 22 children who had been born prematurely with untreated ROP (stages 2 and 3); and group 4 included 21 children who had been born prematurely and underwent cryotreatment for severe ROP. Their peripheral visual fields were examined with Goldmann perimetry. Static high-pass resolution perimetry was used to evaluate their central visual fields within 30 degrees.
Results:
The peripheral visual fields were constricted in children who had undergone cryotreatment (group 4), as compared with the other groups (1 to 3). We found no difference between the groups of children who had been born prematurely with or without ROP (groups 2 and 3) and the control group. The function of the central visual fields, expressed as neural capacity, was reduced in the children who had been born prematurely compared with the controls, significantly in their left eyes only. The children who underwent cryotreament did not differ from the other children who had been born prematurely in this respect.
Conclusions:
The peripheral visual fields were constricted in children who had undergone cryotreatment. It is uncertain whether this was caused by the treatment or by severe ROP. The central visual fields showed a tendency of reduced neural capacity in the children who had been born prematurely, reflecting a reduced density of retinocortical neural channels. However, this was not related to ROP or cryotreatment.
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