Vision despite tomographic absence of the occipital cortex

A 14-month-old boy with developmental delay showed microcephaly, spastic diplegia, central visual fixation and an esotropia. A head tomographic scan disclosed absence of normal occipital cortex and electroencephalography showed markedly reduced voltages over the occipital region. Visual development in this patient may be related to heterotopic occipital cortex of a functioning non-striate system of visual processing. Visual function cannot be predicted when severe developmental anomalies of the occipital cortex are detected with computerized tomography.