GRATING ACUITY AND VISUAL-FIELD DEVELOPMENT IN INFANTS FOLLOWING PERINATAL ASPHYXIA

Grating acuity and visual fields were assessed in 66 children who had had perinatal asphyxia (ASPH). Also tested were 41 healthy preterm chi ldren (H-PT). Subjects were tested at birth to one month, and four, ni ne, 12, 17, 24, 30 and 36 months corrected age. The mean acuity scores of the ASPH group were lower than those of the H-PT group at most tes t ages, and significantly so at 30 and 36 months. The mean visual fiel d size of the infants in the ASPH group was significantly smaller than that of the H-PT group at nine, 12, 30 and 36 months. No significant effects were found for preterm vs term birth, gestational age at birth , degree of asphyxia and presence of strabismus. However, central nerv ous system abnormalities (intraventricular haemorrhage and periventric ular leukomalacia) were related to deficits in acuity and visual field size.