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An Automated Method for Assessing Visual Acuity in Infants and Toddlers Using an Eye-Tracking System
Published on: March 17, 2023
Age norms for monocular grating acuity measured by sweep-VEP in the first three years of age
Solange Rios Salomão1, Fabio Ejzenbaum, Adriana Berezovsky
1Departamento de Oftalmologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. ssalomao@oftalmo.epm.br
Insights
Age norms for infant visual acuity were established using sweep visual evoked potentials (VEP). These findings provide crucial benchmarks for diagnosing visual status in young children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Pediatric Optometry
Background:
- Visual acuity development in infants is critical for early detection of visual impairments.
- Establishing normative data is essential for accurate clinical assessment of pediatric vision.
- The sweep visual evoked potential (VEP) technique offers a reliable method for measuring visual acuity in non-verbal subjects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish age-specific norms for grating visual acuity in infants and young children.
- To determine normal interocular acuity differences using the sweep-VEP technique.
- To provide reference data for the first three years of life.
Main Methods:
- Monocular grating visual acuity was measured in 67 healthy infants and children.
- The sweep visual evoked potential (VEP) technique was employed for acuity measurements.
- Data were collected from birth up to 36 months of age.
Main Results:
- Grating visual acuity improved significantly from 0.80 logMAR (20/125) at 1 month to 0.06 logMAR (20/20) at 36 months.
- The 95th percentile lower limit for normal acuity ranged from 0.95 logMAR (20/180) to 0.12 logMAR (20/25).
- An interocular acuity difference of 0.10 logMAR was identified as the largest acceptable for clinical purposes.
Conclusions:
- Age-specific norms for grating visual acuity and interocular differences were successfully determined using sweep-VEP.
- These established norms are vital for precise diagnosis of visual status in infants and preverbal children.
- Clinical integration of these sweep-VEP norms is recommended for improved pediatric eye care.
Purpose:
To determine age norms for grating visual acuity and interocular acuity differences measured by the sweep-visually evoked potentials (VEP) technique in the first three years of life.
Methods:
Monocular grating visual acuity was measured using the sweep-VEP in 67 healthy normal infants and children in the first 36 months of life.
Results:
Sweep-VEP grating acuity ranged from 0.80 logMAR (20/125 Snellen equivalent) in the first month of life to 0.06 logMAR (20/20 Snellen equivalent) at 36 months of age. Lower normal limits (95th percentile limit) ranged from 0.95 logMAR (20/180) to 0.12 logMAR (20/25) with a progression of approximately 3 octaves in the first 36 months of age. The largest acceptable interocular acuity difference for clinical purposes was 0.10 logMAR.
Conclusions:
Age norms for grating acuity along with interocular acuity differences were determined using the sweep-VEP technique. These norms should be incorporated in clinical practice for precise diagnosis of visual status in infants and preverbal children.
