VISION OUTCOME AT AGE 2 YEARS IN A LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT POPULATION

We assess the prevalence of vision problems in a cohort of low birth w eight infants at age 2 years and the relationship of these problems to neonatal brain injury. Data on prenatal and neonatal history and brai n injury status were prospectively collected on 721 children weighing 500-2,000 gm at birth enrolled in a multicenter, population-based long itudinal study. Visual acuity was evaluated using the Teller Acuity Ca rd Procedure, Abnormalities of the eye were assessed by a specially tr ained pediatric nurse practitioner, Failure of the acuity screen occur red in 62 of 699 tested (8.9 %), Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the only significant independent predictors of failure included presence of disabling cerebral palsy (DCP) (odds ratio [OR] = 14.8) or nondisabling cerebral palsy (NDCP) (OR = 4.0) and Apgar scor e of less than 5 at 5 minutes (OR = 2.4). Parenchymal brain injury (PE L) was of borderline significance, Strabismus was present in 123 of 70 2 children (17.5%), Multiple logistic regression analysis disclosed th at the joint predictors of strabismus were presence of DCP (OR = 7.2) and length of hospital stay (OR = 1.6), We conclude that low birth wei ght infants with parenchymal brain lesions leading to cerebral palsy a re at particular risk for vision problems early in life and should be carefully evaluated.