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Published on: October 24, 2019
Visual function at 35 and 40 weeks' postmenstrual age in low-risk preterm infants
Daniela Ricci1, Laura Cesarini, Domenico M M Romeo
1Catholic University, Pediatric Neurology Unit, Largo Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Insights
Early life outside the womb may boost visual skills in preterm infants. Visual function related to eye stability and tracking matures faster, but other skills may develop differently.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
Background:
- Preterm infants born before 31 weeks' gestation face unique developmental challenges.
- Early visual development is crucial for overall infant development and learning.
- Understanding visual maturation in preterm infants informs clinical care and interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess visual function in low-risk preterm infants at 35 and 40 weeks' postmenstrual age.
- To compare visual abilities of preterm infants at term-equivalent age with term-born infants.
- To evaluate the impact of early extrauterine experience on visual development in preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- A validated visual function test battery was administered to 109 low-risk preterm infants.
- Infants were assessed at 35 and 40 weeks' postmenstrual age.
- Preterm infant data were compared with a cohort of term-born infants using the same protocol.
Main Results:
- Visual function generally improved from 35 to 40 weeks' postmenstrual age in preterm infants.
- Preterm infants showed more mature ocular movements, vertical, and arc tracking compared to term-born infants.
- At 40 weeks, preterm infants also demonstrated advanced stripe discrimination; however, colored stimulus tracking and attention at distance were more mature at term age.
Conclusions:
- This study provides normative data for visual function in preterm infants at 35 and 40 weeks' postmenstrual age.
- Early extrauterine experience appears to accelerate visual maturation in areas like ocular stability and tracking.
- The findings suggest that some visual functions, potentially more cortically mediated, may not be significantly affected by early extrauterine life.
Objectives:
The objectives of this study were to (1) assess visual function in low-risk preterm infants at 35 and 40 weeks' postmenstrual age, (2) compare preterm visual abilities at term-equivalent age with term-born infants, and (3) evaluate effects of preterm extrauterine life on early visual function.
Methods:
Visual function was assessed by using a validated test battery at 35 and 40 weeks' postmenstrual age in 109 low-risk preterm infants who were born at <31 weeks' gestation. The preterm findings were compared with data from term-born infants collected by using the same test protocol.
Results:
All preterm infants completed both assessments. The 35-week responses were generally less mature than those at 40 weeks. Preterm infants at both ages were significantly more mature than term-born infants for ocular movements and vertical and arc tracking and at 40 weeks for stripe discrimination. In contrast, tracking a colored stimulus, attention at distance, and stripe discrimination were more mature at term age (in both term-born and preterm infants) than at 35 weeks.
Conclusions:
Our findings provide data for visual function at 35 and 40 weeks' postmenstrual age in low-risk preterm infants. The results suggest that early extrauterine experience may accelerate the maturation of aspects of visual function related to ocular stability and tracking but does not seem to affect other aspects that may be more cortically mediated.
