Eye Movements and Visual Perception in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

To quantify eye movements and visual perception of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to compare the same parameters with children with typical development (TD). The association between eye movements and visual perception among study children was also evaluated.

Children with ASD who were verbal and children with TD as age-matched controls were recruited. All children underwent a developmental eye movement (DEM) test and Motor-Free Visual Perception Test-4 (MVPT-4) following standard protocol.

Ninety-one children (ASD group = 54, TD group = 37) were evaluated. In the DEM test, mean scores of horizontal and vertical saccades (HT, VT) were significantly (P < .001) extended in children with ASD (mean HT = 262.22 ± 101.152 seconds, mean VT = 121.66 ± 39.72 seconds) compared to children with TD (mean HT = 80.316 ± 32.73 seconds, mean VT = 55.08 ± 16.95 seconds). The majority (88.84%) of children with ASD showed type IV error, indicating both oculomotor and automaticity disorders. Average MVPT-4 scores along with MVPT-4 domain scores were significantly lower (P < .05) in the ASD group. Although a multiple regression model with age, HT, VT, and DEM ratio could explain 71% of the variation in the visual perception score of the TD group, 42% of the variation in the same was explained in the ASD group.

This study reports a significantly increased duration of saccades and impaired visual perception scores among children with ASD compared to those with TD. Although a strong association between MVPT-4 and DEM scores was observed in the TD group, DEM scores failed to associate strongly with visual perception scores in the ASD group.