Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 5, 2025
Assessing Early Stage Open-Angle Glaucoma in Patients by Isolated-Check Visual Evoked Potential
Published on: May 25, 2020
Evaluating Contrast Sensitivity in Asian Indian Pre-Term Infants With and Without Retinopathy of Prematurity
Rwituja Thomas1, Anand Vinekar1, Shwetha Mangalesh1
1Department of Pediatric Retina, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Institute, Bangalore, India.
Insights
Newborn Contrast Cards effectively measure contrast threshold in preterm infants, correlating with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and predicting visual acuity. This tool aids in assessing visual potential in premature infants.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatology
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in preterm infants.
- Early detection and prediction of visual outcomes are crucial for timely intervention.
- Assessing visual function in neonates presents unique challenges due to their developmental stage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the contrast threshold in Asian Indian preterm infants using Newborn Contrast Cards.
- To assess the correlation between contrast threshold and the presence/severity of ROP.
- To determine the relationship between contrast threshold and visual acuity at 3 months corrected age.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of preterm infants (≤2000g BW and/or ≤34 weeks GA) undergoing ROP screening.
- Measurement of contrast threshold using Newborn Contrast Cards during the initial ROP screening.
- Correlation of contrast threshold with birth weight, gestational age, ROP status, and visual acuity (Teller Acuity Cards) at 3 months corrected age.
Main Results:
- Contrast threshold was significantly lower in infants with ROP compared to those without (P < 0.001).
- Contrast threshold showed significant correlations with birth weight (R = -0.291) and gestational age (R = -0.47).
- Initial contrast threshold measurements correlated with visual acuity at 3 months corrected age (R = 0.36, P = 0.01).
Conclusions:
- Newborn Contrast Cards are a viable tool for assessing contrast threshold in preterm infants.
- Contrast threshold measurement shows potential for predicting visual outcomes and identifying infants at risk for visual impairment.
- This method may aid in the early estimation of visual potential in prematurely born infants.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contrast threshold in Asian Indian preterm infants with and without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) using Newborn Contrast Cards measured during the first ROP screening and to correlate with final outcome and visual acuity at 3 months of corrected age.
Methods:
Preterm infants born ≤ 2000 grams birth weight (BW) and/or ≤ 34 weeks gestational age (GA) undergoing ROP screening were enrolled prospectively. Visual acuity was recorded using Teller Acuity Cards. Contrast threshold was measured with Newborn Contrast Cards at first screening visit and at the end of ROP screening at 40 weeks of postmenstrual age or older.
Results:
Of the 173 study infants, 134 (77.5%) did not have any stage of ROP. Of the remaining 39 (22.5%), 34 (87%) had type 2 ROP and 5 (13%) had type 1 ROP requiring treatment. The mean contrast threshold at the first visit of the no ROP type 1 and type 2 groups was 0.36 ± 0.07, 0.65 ± 0.19, and 0.46 ± 0.09, respectively (P < 0.001). Contrast threshold had a significant correlation with BW (R = -0.291, P = < 0.001) and gestational age (R = -0.47, P = < 0.001). The contrast threshold at the first visit correlated with visual acuity measured at 3 months of corrected age in logMAR (R = 0.36, P = 0.01). Other than BW and GA, no other systemic risk factors correlated with contrast threshold measured at the first screening visit.
Conclusions:
Newborn Contrast Cards are a viable tool to test contrast threshold in preterm infants. The association between contrast threshold and ROP, and its correlation with visual acuity, suggest that contrast threshold measurement may help predict the clinical vision outcome among prematurely born infants.
Translational Relevance:
Contrast threshold measurement may prove to be a useful tool in the estimation of visual potential in preterm infants.
More Related Videos
08:38Electroretinogram Recording for Infants and Children under Anesthesia to Achieve Optimal Dark Adaptation and International Standards
Published on: September 3, 2020
05:10Author Spotlight: An Automated Method for Assessing Visual Acuity in Infants and Toddlers Using an Eye-Tracking System
Published on: March 17, 2023