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Updated: Aug 23, 2026
A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking
Published on: July 9, 2016
Visual function in young adults following intrauterine growth retardation
Lene Martin1, David Ley, Karel Marsal
1Department of Ophthalmology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Infants born small for gestational age due to intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) may experience impaired visual function. Rarebit perimetry detected these visual deficits, highlighting potential long-term health implications.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is linked to neurologic deficits and cognitive impairment.
- Previous research found an association between IUGR and reduced neuroretinal rim area in young adults.
- This study investigates the relationship between IUGR and visual function in adolescents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and visual function.
- To determine if specific visual function tests can detect deficits in individuals born small for gestational age.
Main Methods:
- Study included 26 individuals born small for gestational age and 20 controls.
- Visual function assessed using letter acuity, color vision, frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry, and rarebit perimetry.
- Ocular parameters like rim-disc ratio were also analyzed.
Main Results:
- Individuals born small for gestational age showed a significantly higher rate of impaired rarebit perimetry hit rates compared to controls (P = .006).
- A smaller rim-disc ratio was observed in those small for gestational age with abnormal rarebit results.
- No significant differences were found in visual acuity, refraction, color vision, or FDT indices between groups.
Conclusions:
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with an increased incidence of visual function impairment.
- Rarebit perimetry is effective in detecting visual deficits in individuals with IUGR.
- Standard visual acuity, color vision, and FDT perimetry did not reveal significant differences.
Background:
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) resulting in infants born small for gestational age is a known risk factor for neurologic deficits and may predispose to poor cognitive development later in life. We recently found an association between IUGR and a reduced neuroretinal rim area at 18 years of age. We evaluated the possible association between IUGR and visual function.
Subjects And Methods:
We studied 26 subjects who had been born small for gestational age and 20 subjects whose birth weights were appropriate for gestational age (controls) using letter acuity thresholds, color vision testing, full-threshold frequency doubling technology perimetry, and rarebit perimetry at 18 years of age. gestational age had a rarebit hit rate below the normal range as compared with none of the controls (P = .006). These 8 subjects had a significantly smaller rim-disc ratio compared with the subjects who were small for gestational age who had a normal rarebit hit rate (P = .047). The frequency doubling technology indices did not differ significantly between the control group and the group that was small for gestational age, nor did the visual acuity, refraction, and color vision test results.
Conclusion:
These data indicate that IUGR is associated with an increased rate of impaired visual function, which can be detected by using rarebit perimetry but not frequency doubling technology perimetry, visual acuity, or color vision tests.
