Vision attention and discrimination in infants at risk and neurological outcome

Abstract

Visual behavior has been studied in 129 high risk infants in order to appreciate the value of eye opening, visual fixation and pursuit and visual discrimination in predicting permanent brain damage. The assessment of visual discrimination according to Fantz and Miranda, has proven to be particularly helpful after corrected term. These tests allow the detection of severe permanent neurological sequelae even when visual attention and neurological examination appear to be normal. Certainly, during the 3 first months of life, visual behavior is of more value to predict future neurological outcome than the classical neurological examination.