Factors Affecting Visual Function in Children with Cerebral Visual Impairment.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the visual functions and their correlation with the neurological status in children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI).

METHODS

Case records of children with CVI under 3 years of age at their first visit were reviewed. Children's visual functions were scored between 0 and 15 based on fixation and following skills. The neuromotor assessment was conducted by the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) tool.

RESULTS

A total of 233 children with CVI (122 male and 111 female) were identified. The median age was 13 months. The etiologies were hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (27.5%), prematurity (23.6%), structural abnormalities (24%), metabolic diseases and genetic syndromes (14.2%), and neuromotor retardation (10.7%). There was no difference in visual function score (VFS) among the etiological groups and the magnetic resonance imaging finding groups (p=0.162, p=0.205, respectively). The VFS values of children without seizures were significantly higher than those with seizures (p=0.003). There was a weak correlation between the HINE ratio and VFS (p<0.001, r=0.341).

CONCLUSION

The visual functions of children with CVI are usually very poor. The visual functions of these children are related to their neurological and motor retardation levels, seizure states, and the presence of additional ocular problems.