Preferential looking vision testing: application to evaluation of high-risk, prematurely born infants and children

We studied the application of preferential looking (PL) procedures to evaluation of visual performance of 59 prematurely born infants and young children. Neurological abnormalities were present in 29 of the 59 patients. Ophthalmic examination revealed normal eyes in 20 of the patients; retinopathy of prematurity (20 patients) and strabismus (13 patients) were the most prevalent ophthalmological disorders; the remaining 6 patients had a variety of ophthalmic anomalies. Results indicate that PL testing of such patients is best accomplished after age 2 months. Patients with developmental delays can be tested, but they may have poor PL performance that is not accounted for by ophthalmic abnormalities. Differences in PL acuities between right and left eyes were indicative of amblyopia in some of the strabismic patients; sequential PL acuities monitored occlusion therapy in these pre-verbal youngsters.