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Published on: October 24, 2019
Visual function in preterm infants: visualizing the brain to improve prognosis
Vann Chau1, Margot J Taylor, Steven P Miller
1Department of Pediatrics (Neurology), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Insights
Very preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) face high risks for visual dysfunction due to early birth during critical brain development. Understanding these risks can lead to earlier interventions and improved NICU care.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neuroscience
- Developmental ophthalmology
- Pediatric neuroimaging
Background:
- The third trimester is crucial for visual system development.
- Very preterm infants in the NICU experience events impacting brain and visual development.
- This population is at high risk for long-term visual dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To understand the etiology and timing of visual impairment in very preterm infants.
- To identify factors impacting early brain and visual system development.
- To inform interventions for reducing visual dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing advanced neuroimaging techniques.
- Observing early brain and visual system development in vulnerable infants.
- Analyzing the impact of clinical course and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) events.
Main Results:
- Early birth during rapid neurodevelopment increases risk.
- Various events in the NICU significantly impact visual system development.
- Neuroimaging reveals critical insights into developmental processes.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the causes of visual impairment is key for early recognition.
- Timely interventions can mitigate long-term visual dysfunction.
- Optimizing NICU practices can reduce visual impairment incidence in preterm infants.
Abstract:
Considerable development of the visual system occurs in the third trimester of life, a time when very preterm-born infants are in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Their very early birth during a period of rapid and marked neurodevelopment and their clinical course makes them a very high-risk population. A range of different events impacts brain development and the visual system, leading to significant long-term visual dysfunction. Improved neuroimaging techniques provide an important window on the early brain and visual system development of these vulnerable infants. Greater understanding of the etiology of visual impairment subsequent to preterm birth and the timing of critical processes will allow early recognition and the earlier implementations of interventions. In the longer term, this will help clinicians optimize NICU practice to reduce the incidence of visual dysfunction in these children.
