The maturation of visual acuity in neurologically normal and abnormal newborn infants

Abstract

The maturation of visual acuity was studied in 162 neurologically normal and 96 neurologically abnormal newborn infants. Ninety-five percent of the neurologically normal infants developed an acuity of 80 min arc by 35 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) but only 50% developed an acuity of 40 min arc by 40 weeks PMA. Neurologically abnormal infants, and in particular those with periventricular haemorrhage (PVH), had a delay in the development of acuity. There was a close correlation between the development of 80 min arc acuity and the appearance of the first positivity of the flash visually evoked potential (VEP).