VISUAL-ACUITY IN EXTREMELY LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS

The increased Viability of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants ( those weighing less than 1000 g) and the associated increased risk of visual impairment has highlighted the need for reliable indices of Vis ual functioning for this population. By use of the Teller Acuity Cards , we assessed grating visual acuity in 26 survivors of extreme prematu rity (corrected age, 2-42 mo) and found that although most scores were within the normal range, they were significantly lower than those of full-term infants of equivalent postconceptional age, especially after 9 months of age. Moreover, the number of complications in the neonata l period (especially bronchopulmonary dysplasia) and the Neonatal Medi cal Index classification were associated with below-average visual acu ity in infancy and early childhood.