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Visual field defects in prematurely born patients with white matter damage of immaturity: a multiple-case study
Lena Jacobson1, Olof Flodmark, Lene Martin
1Department of Paediatric Neurology, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Premature birth can cause white matter damage, leading to visual field defects in young adults. Standardized perimetry confirmed visual field abnormalities, particularly in the lower visual field.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- White matter damage in infancy can impair visual, motor, and cognitive functions.
- Premature birth is a significant risk factor for white matter injury.
Observation:
- This study evaluated visual field (VF) function in six adolescents and young adults with documented white matter damage.
- Subjects were born prematurely (28-34 weeks gestation) and exhibited visual dysfunction.
Findings:
- All participants displayed subnormal visual field function, with varying degrees of defect.
- Inferior visual field deficits were consistently more pronounced than superior deficits.
- Both manual and computerized perimetry effectively identified visual field abnormalities, with static computerized methods revealing slightly more detail.
Implications:
- White matter damage of immaturity can significantly impact visual field integrity.
- The findings highlight the vulnerability of the inferior visual field in such cases.
- Quantitative perimetry is a valuable tool for assessing visual dysfunction in individuals with premature birth-related white matter injury.
Purpose:
White matter damage of immaturity may affect visual, motor and cognitive functions. This multiple-case study presents standardized perimetry results in six teenagers and young adults born prematurely with visual dysfunction due to white matter damage of immaturity of pre- or perinatal origin.
Methods:
Six subjects, aged 13-25 years, born at a gestational age of 28-34 weeks, with white matter damage of immaturity documented by MRI, and optic disc appearances documented by fundus photography, were examined with manual and computerized quantitative perimetry.
Results:
All subjects had subnormal visual field (VF) function, although the depth and extension of the VF defects differed between subjects. The inferior VF function was more deviant than the superior in all cases. The concordance between the VF defects detected with the different techniques was good, although the static computerized techniques revealed slightly more abnormality.
Conclusion:
White matter damage of immaturity may affect the VF. The lower VF is often more affected than the upper. The abnormalities can be demonstrated by both manual and computerized perimetry.
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