Cortical visual function in preterm infants in the first year.
OBJECTIVE
To assess visual function in low-risk preterm infants at 3, 5, and 12 months corrected age to determine whether the maturation of visual function in the first year is similar to that reported in term-born infants.


METHODS
Seventy-five low-risk infants (25.0-30.9 weeks gestation) underwent ophthalmological examinations and a battery of tests (fix and follow, visual fields, acuity, attention at distance, and fixation shift) designed to assess various aspects of visual function at 3, 5, and 12 months corrected age.


RESULTS
The results were comparable with normative data from term-born infants in all tests but fixation shift, suggesting that maturation of most aspects of visual function is not significantly affected by preterm birth. In contrast, >25% of preterm infants failed the fixation shift test at 3 months, with a higher percentage of failing at 5 and 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a specific profile of early visual behavior in low-risk preterm infants, with a high percentage of infants failing a test that specifically assesses visual attention and provides a measure of cortical processing.
Ricci
Daniela
D
Paediatric Neurology Unit, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Cesarini
Laura
L
Gallini
Francesca
F
Serrao
Francesca
F
Leone
Daniela
D
Baranello
Giovanni
G
Cota
Francesco
F
Pane
Marika
M
Brogna
Claudia
C
De Rose
Paola
P
Vasco
Gessica
G
Alfieri
Paolo
P
Staccioli
Susanna
S
Romeo
Domenico M
DM
Tinelli
Francesca
F
Molle
Fernando
F
Lepore
Domenico
D
Baldascino
Antonio
A
Ramenghi
Luca A
LA
Torrioli
Maria Giulia
MG
Romagnoli
Costantino
C
Cowan
Frances
F
Atkinson
Janette
J
Cioni
Giovanni
G
Mercuri
Eugenio
E
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*