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Updated: Feb 11, 2026
A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking
Published on: July 9, 2016
Visual impairment evaluation in 119 children with congenital Zika syndrome
Liana O Ventura1, Camila V Ventura1, Natália de C Dias2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Altino Ventura Foundation, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Department of Ophthalmology, HOPE Eye Hospital, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Insights
Infants with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) experience significant visual impairment, affecting nearly 90% in acuity tests. This study highlights the critical need for early visual assessment in CZS-affected infants.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) is a condition resulting from prenatal Zika virus infection.
- Visual impairment is a known complication of CZS, but its extent requires further characterization.
- Standardized assessment protocols are crucial for evaluating visual deficits in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify visual impairment in infants diagnosed with congenital Zika syndrome.
- To compare visual function and developmental milestones between infants with CZS and a healthy control group.
- To validate an ophthalmologic assessment protocol for this population.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 119 infants with confirmed CZS and 85 matched healthy controls underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic evaluations.
- Assessments included visual acuity using Teller Acuity Cards (TAC), contrast sensitivity, and visual developmental milestones.
- Data were analyzed to compare outcomes between the CZS and control groups.
Main Results:
- Nearly 90% of CZS infants (89.9%) exhibited abnormal binocular visual acuity via TAC, compared to 5% in controls (P < 0.001).
- Reduced binocular contrast sensitivity was observed in 81.3% of CZS infants versus 10% of controls (P < 0.001).
- Infants with CZS demonstrated significantly delayed visual developmental milestones compared to controls (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Infants with congenital Zika syndrome exhibit severe visual impairment.
- The proposed assessment protocol effectively identifies visual deficits and developmental delays in CZS infants.
- Early and comprehensive visual assessment is essential for managing infants with CZS.
Purpose:
To assess visual impairment in a large sample of infants with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and to compare with a control group using the same assessment protocol.
Methods:
The study group was composed of infants with confirmed diagnosis of CZS. Controls were healthy infants matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. All infants underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic evaluation including visual acuity, visual function assessment, and visual developmental milestones.
Results:
The CZS group included 119 infants; the control group, 85 infants. At examination, the mean age of the CZS group was 8.5 ± 1.2 months (range, 6-13 months); of the controls, 8.4 ± 1.8 months (range, 5-12 months; P = 0.598). Binocular Teller Acuity Card (TAC) testing was abnormal in 107 CZS infants and in 4 controls (89.9% versus 5% [P < 0.001]). In the study group, abnormal monocular TAC results were more frequent in eyes with funduscopic alterations (P = 0.008); however, 104 of 123 structurally normal eyes (84.6%) also presented abnormal TAC results. Binocular contrast sensitivity was reduced in 87 of 107 CZS infants and in 8 of 80 controls (81.3% versus 10% [P < 0.001]). The visual development milestones were less achieved by infants with CZS compared to controls (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Infants with CZS present with severe visual impairment. A protocol for assessment of the ocular findings, visual acuity, and visual developmental milestones tested against age-matched controls is suggested.
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