Neuropediatrics 2006; 37 - MP17
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-943614

OPTOTYPE AND GRATING VISUAL ACUITY IN CHILDREN WITH VISUAL PERCEPTUAL IMPAIRMENT

P Stiers 1, E Vandenbussche 1, L Lagae 1
  • 1Laboratorium voor Neuropsychologie, K.U.Leuven, Belgium, Leuven Belgium

Objectives: This study investigates whether the poorer visual acuity obtained with optotypes than with grating stimuli in children with cerebral visual impairment is related to the visual perceptual problems that frequently occur in this disorder. Since optotype acuity tasks require some shape perception visual perceptual problems could selectively affect the perception of these visually more complex stimulus.

Methods: 92 children with physical disabilities were administered the L94 visual perception battery and two acuity tasks. In the acuity test the children had to indicate the orientation of single optotypes or gratings. All other test parameters were kept constant.

Results: Optotype to grating acuity discrepancy was not significantly related to the severity of the visual perceptual deficit, i.e., impaired on none (n=58), one (n=17) or more than one (n=17) L94 tasks. In contrast, visual perceptual impairment was more frequent and more severe in children with lower optotype than grating acuity.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that the optotype discrepancy was not dependent on visual perceptual impairment as measured by the L94 tasks. Rather, both are separate but often co-occurring manifestations of cerebral visual impairment.