Fixation and saccadic performance throughout childhood in children born preterm: A multicenter eye-tracking study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric ophthalmology
• Developmental neuroscience
• Visual development

Background:

• Preterm birth can impact visual and oculomotor system maturation.
• Long-term effects of early birth on children's eye movement control are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of preterm birth on fixation and saccadic eye movement performance throughout childhood.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter cohort study of 1506 children (502 preterm, 1004 full-term) aged 6 months to 12 years.
• Utilized the DIVE system for precise measurements of fixation stability, fixation duration, saccadic reaction time, and accuracy.
• Employed logistic regression, adjusting for gestational age and visual pathologies, to assess the association between preterm birth and oculomotor control deficits.

Main Results:

• Preterm children exhibited significantly more unstable fixations and slower saccadic reaction times compared to full-term children across all age groups.
• Oculomotor deficits were more prevalent in preterm children (36.5% vs. 23.3%), with significantly higher odds of impairment (OR = 1.89).
• These oculomotor differences were evident from infancy and persisted through middle childhood, despite age-related improvements in both groups.

Conclusions:

• Preterm birth is associated with persistent oculomotor control deficits, affecting fixation stability and saccadic reaction time from infancy into middle childhood.
• These findings highlight the importance of early identification and targeted interventions for visual and neurological development in preterm infants.
• Eye-tracking technology offers a sensitive and reproducible method for detecting oculomotor dysfunction in pediatric populations, aiding early intervention strategies.