title: Effects of very low birth weight (VLBW) on visual development during the first year after term.
abstract: Behavioural visual functions were assessed in 155 very low birth weight (VLBW) infants during the first 12 months after expected term. Visual development was examined (mainly cross-sectionally) at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of corrected age by assessment of visual acuity, visual fields, optokinetic nystagmus and visual threat response. Many VLBW infants showed visual impairments (54.2%). No single visual function appeared to be specifically susceptible to impairments, deficits were often apparent across a range of functions. Visual impairments were observed at all test ages, and could already be assessed at 6 weeks of corrected age. The highest incidence of visual impairments was scored at 6 months corrected age. Beyond 6 months, less deficits were observed, suggesting in many infants a delayed rather than a permanently impaired visual development. In some infants deficits became evident at a later stage, after an apparently normal initial development. The results suggest that VLBW infants are at risk for impaired visual development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology I, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Hof-Van Duin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evenhuis-van Leunen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mohn
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baerts
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Fetter
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009760:Nystagmus, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*