[Ophthalmologic symptomatology in children with periventricular leucomalation]

Ophthalmologic symptoms were analyzed in 76 children with periventricular leucomalation (PL). Clinical or functional ophthalmic disorders were detected in 100% of patients. Changes in the optic nerve disc were diagnosed in 93.4% of patients. The syndrome of dilated excavation (SDE), i.e. dilation and cupping of the optic nerve disc combined in all cases with affection of postgenicular visual paths (of optic radiation and/or striatal cortex) verified by neuroradiology, was most frequently (80.3%) encountered in children with PL. Presumably, the progression of SDE is associated with transsynaptic retrograde degeneration conditioned by the hypoxic-ischemic affection of the CNS in the projection of postgenicular visual paths at pre- and perinatal stages. SDE is an important criterion in the diagnosis of lesions of postgenicular visual paths in babies.