[Normal and disordered visual development with preferential looking].

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Pediatric Optometry

Context:

• Assessing visual development in preverbal infants is crucial for early detection of visual impairments.
• The Teller acuity card procedure is a standard method for measuring grating acuity in infants.
• Understanding visual development in infants with strabismus is essential for timely intervention.

Purpose:

• To investigate normal and abnormal grating acuity development in preverbal infants.
• To determine the incidence of interocular acuity differences in infants with monolateral convergent squint.
• To explore the correlation between grating acuity and Snellen acuity in infant amblyopia and assess amblyopia therapy monitoring.

Summary:

• Grating acuity development was studied in 195 normal and 34 premature infants, with over 86% showing no significant interocular differences.
• A notable 30% incidence of interocular acuity differences was found in 37 infants with monolateral convergent squint, exceeding previous reports.
• The findings suggest a stronger correlation between grating and Snellen acuity in infant squint amblyopia and present longitudinal cases for monitoring early amblyopia therapy.

Impact:

• Highlights a higher incidence of interocular acuity differences in infants with convergent squint, indicating a potential marker for amblyopia.
• Suggests grating acuity may be a reliable indicator for monitoring early amblyopia therapy in infants.
• Provides valuable data for pediatric ophthalmologists and optometrists in diagnosing and managing visual development disorders in infants.