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Published on: February 11, 2014
[Functional vision assessment in children with low vision from two to six years of age - a comparative study]
Luciana Drummond de Figueiredo Rossi1, Galton Carvalho Vasconcelos, Grace Rego Saliba
1Setor de Baixa Visão Infantil, Hospital São Geraldo, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. lucianarossi@ig.com.br
Insights
The Functional Vision Assessment (AVIF-2 to 6 years) effectively differentiates visual abilities in children with low vision. While promising, further research is needed before widespread clinical adoption.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Vision Science
- Functional Vision Assessment
Background:
- Assessing functional vision in young children with low vision presents unique challenges.
- Standardized tools are crucial for accurate diagnosis and intervention planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the efficacy of the Functional Vision Assessment (AVIF-2 to 6 years) in distinguishing visual ability levels among children with low vision.
- To evaluate the AVIF-2 to 6 years test developed at the Infantile Low Vision Sector, São Geraldo Hospital, Brazil.
Main Methods:
- The AVIF-2 to 6 years was administered to 40 children (2-6 years), with 20 diagnosed with low vision (Group 1) and 20 without (Group 2).
- Seven visual domains were assessed: fixation, following, confrontation visual field, eye-hand coordination, locomotion, contrast, and color vision.
- Comparative analyses were conducted between groups and age/visual acuity subgroups, excluding children with neurological conditions.
Main Results:
- The total AVIF-2 to 6 years scores and most domains showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between groups.
- The median total AVIF-2 to 6 years score was significantly lower in the low vision group across all age intervals.
- Contrast and color vision discrimination domains did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions:
- The AVIF-2 to 6 years demonstrates potential in discriminating functional vision levels in children with low vision.
- While results are encouraging, further validation studies are necessary for its clinical implementation.
Purpose:
The Functional Vision Assessment (AVIF-2 to 6 years)'s capacity to differentiate visual ability levels in children with low vision was analyzed. The AVIF-2 to 6 years was created at the Infantile Low Vision Sector from São Geraldo Hospital, Brazil.
Methods:
After a debate among professionals from different areas regarding the appropriateness of the test items, AVIF-2 to 6 years was applied to 40 children aged from 2 to 6 years; twenty children with low vision (Group 1) and twenty without it (Group 2) were assessed. Group 1 was recruited from the Infantile Low Vision Sector from São Geraldo Hospital. Group 2 comprised children from two different public day care centers and children were matched by age, gender and social level with group 1. Seven domains were studied: visual fixation, visual following, visual field confrontation, eye-hand coordination and surrounding locomotion, contrast vision and color vision discrimination. Group 1 children were submitted to a complete ophthalmologic exam and group 2 to ophthalmologic screening. Children with low vision and neurologic disease were excluded. Comparative analyzes were performed for both groups and for distinct subgroups classified by age (24 to 35 months, 36 to 59 months and 60 to 78 months) and by visual acuity subgroups (<1.0 logMAR and ≥1.0 logMAR).
Results:
The scores at total AVIF-2 to 6 years and its domains were statistically significant (p<0.05), except for the contrast vision and color vision discrimination domains. The total AVIF- 2 to 6 years median was lower for group 1 at the three interval ages.
Conclusion:
AVIF- 2 to 6 years can discriminate different levels of functional vision of low vision children, however the authors emphasize that although the results are encouraging, further studies shall be done until the test is ready for clinical use.
