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Visual outcomes and perinatal adversity

Anna R O'Connor1, Alistair R Fielder

  • 1University of Liverpool, Division of Orthoptics, Thompson Yates Building, Quadrangle, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GB, UK. annaoc@liv.ac.uk

Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
|August 21, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Preterm birth and related factors cause various visual impairments in children, from blindness to subtle deficits impacting daily function. Understanding these ophthalmic deficits is crucial for long-term eye care and support.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Neonatology
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Preterm birth, neonatal environment, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and neurological damage are significant contributors to childhood visual impairment.
  • Visual deficits range from severe blindness to subtle impairments, with some identified early and others later in childhood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the causes and types of ophthalmic deficits in children affected by perinatal adversity.
  • To explore the impact of these visual impairments on a child's functional abilities.
  • To examine the long-term ophthalmic care needs and the role of perinatal factors.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and discussion of existing research on visual impairments in preterm infants.
  • Analysis of ophthalmic deficits including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual field, and color vision.
  • Consideration of common conditions like strabismus and refractive errors.

Main Results:

  • Visual impairments stem from ROP, cortical visual impairment, and other factors related to preterm birth.
  • Deficits affect not only visual acuity but also contrast sensitivity, visual fields, and color vision.
  • Strabismus and refractive errors are prevalent following perinatal adversity.

Conclusions:

  • While the types of visual deficits are increasingly understood, their impact on functional ability requires further investigation.
  • Perinatal factors play a critical role in the development of ophthalmic deficits.
  • Long-term ophthalmic care strategies must address the multifaceted visual challenges faced by these children.

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