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Visual function and visual perception in cerebral palsied children

Nikos Kozeis1, Antonia Anogeianaki, Daniela Tosheva Mitova

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Hippokrateion Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. nkozeis@med.auth.gr

Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics : the Journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)
|January 24, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have significant visual impairments, including reduced visual acuity and stereopsis. These visual deficits are distinct from intellectual disability and can worsen overall developmental challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders affecting movement and posture, often associated with other neurological impairments.
  • Visual function can be affected in children with CP, but comprehensive assessments are crucial for understanding the extent and nature of these deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and characterize visual function and visual perception in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
  • To compare the visual abilities of children with CP to a control group from the general pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 105 children with congenital CP (ages 6-15), excluding those with severe intellectual disability, were assessed.
  • Evaluations included visual acuity (distance and near), refractive errors, eye alignment, eye movements, visual fields, color perception, stereoacuity, ocular health, and visual perception.
  • Participants were categorized into spastic quadriplegia, spastic diplegia, and spastic hemiplegia groups.

Main Results:

  • Reduced visual acuity was common, with 59% having distance visual acuity <6/6 and 70.1% having near visual acuity <6/6.
  • Higher incidences of refractive errors (hypermetropia, myopia, astigmatism) and strabismus (esotropic and exotropic) were observed compared to controls.
  • Stereopsis was abnormal or absent in 85.71% of cases, and visual perception was markedly reduced, with scores often below age expectations.

Conclusions:

  • Children with cerebral palsy, even without severe intellectual disability, exhibit significant deficiencies in visual skills.
  • These visual impairments represent a distinct factor that can exacerbate the challenges associated with intellectual disability in children with CP.
Abstract

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