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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
An Automated Method for Assessing Visual Acuity in Infants and Toddlers Using an Eye-Tracking System
Published on: March 17, 2023
The useful field of view test, normative data in children of school age
David M Bennett1, Gael Gordon, Gordon N Dutton
1Department of Vision Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. david.bennett@gcal.ac.uk
Insights
The Useful Field of View (UFOV) test shows improved performance with age in children, reaching adult levels by 14. This visual attention test is suitable for evaluating children, including those with early brain injury.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Early brain injury in children is increasing due to demographic shifts and improved perinatal care.
- Altered visual perception and visuospatial attention are potential consequences of early brain injury.
- The Useful Field of View (UFOV) test, designed for the elderly, assesses visual attention and processing speed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish age-specific normative data for the UFOV test in children and young adults.
- To evaluate the utility of the UFOV test for assessing visual attention in pediatric populations.
- To determine if the UFOV test can be adapted for use in children with potential early brain injury.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 135 healthy children and young adults (ages 5-22) from the public.
- Administered a comprehensive visual screening to ensure normal visual function.
- Conducted all three subtests of the UFOV: Processing Speed, Divided Attention, and Selective Attention.
Main Results:
- All participants successfully completed the UFOV subtests.
- UFOV scores demonstrated a consistent, age-related improvement across all subtests.
- Visual attention and processing speed, particularly selective attention, showed significant development throughout childhood, reaching adult levels by age 14.
Conclusions:
- UFOV performance in children indicates a developmental trajectory in visual attention and processing speed during middle to late childhood.
- The UFOV test is a simple, objective, and standardized computer-based tool suitable for assessing visual attention in children.
- Further research is needed to ascertain the UFOV test's efficacy in differentiating between typically developing children and those with early brain injury.
Purpose:
The incidence of early brain injury in children is rising, mainly because of changing reproductive demographics and better perinatal care. Early brain injury may be associated with altered visual perception and visuospatial attention. The useful field of view test (UFOV) has been developed to assess visual attention and processing speed in the elderly. The UFOV may have utility in the evaluation of children with early brain injury. The aim of this study was to collect age-specific normative data for the UFOV test.
Methods:
Subjects were recruited from visitors at Glasgow Science Centre. One hundred thirty-five healthy children and young adults were tested (range: 5-22 years). After a comprehensive visual screening to establish normal visual function, all three subtests of the UFOV (1: Processing Speed; 2: Divided Attention; 3: Selective Attention) were performed. RESULTS.: All the children were able to understand and complete all subtests. UFOV scores improved monotonically with age, for all subtests, throughout the primary school years, with subtest 3 showing the greatest improvement. By age 14, UFOV scores had reached adult levels.
Discussion:
UFOV performance shows measurable improvement during middle to late childhood, as has been previously found for abilities such as visual acuity. This is a simple test, which was easily understood and performed by all children in the study. Thus, we believe that our results are suggestive of continuing development in visual attention and processing during this period.
Conclusions:
The UFOV is an objective, standardized computer-based test of visual attention. This study indicates suitability for use with children. It remains to be determined how successful this test proves to be in discriminating between normal children and those with early brain injury.
