[Visual evoked potentials in chessboard pattern reversion in children with optic neuritis]

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) to chess pattern reversion were studied in 17 children with optic neurites during the acute stage and in the course of convalescence 1-2 months and 1-3 years after the disease onset. Coarse VEP changes were detected in the patients during the acute stage of optic neuritis. A positive time course of VEP was followed up in late periods after the acute attack of the disease. Despite normalization of vision acuity, no complete restoration of VEP to small-cell chess patterns was seen. The findings evidence that studies of VEP to chess pattern reversion should be carried out to detect subclinical involvement of the optic nerve and to timely diagnose optic neuritis in children.