Abstract
Visual acuity was measured with a preferential looking technique in infants and toddlers with binocular form deprivation. Of the 10 children in the study, there were 5 with congenital cataracts and 5 with uncorrected high refractive errors. Infants with cataract surgery before 2 months of age showed normal early development of visual acuity. A 4 to 6 month delay before treatment resulted in reduced acuity but recovery subsequently occurred. Infants with high hyperopia or astigmatism showed no acuity deficits in the first year of life when tested with optical correction. One case of early meridional amblyopia was detected in the third year of life. The deficit was not permanent and, after a period of optical correction, there was recovery of visual acuity to normal levels.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atkinson J and Braddick O (1979) Assessment of vision in infants. Trans Ophthal Soc UK 99:338–343
Birch EE, Naegele J, Bauer JA and Held R (1980) Visual acuity of toddlers tested by operant and preferential looking techniques. ARVO abstracts, Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 19 (suppl.):210
Blasdel GG, Mitchell DE, Muir DW and Pettigrew JD (1977) A physiological and behavioral study in cats of the effect of early visual experience with contours of a single orientation. J Physiol 265:615–636
Calhoun JH (1977) Cutting-aspiration instruments. Int Ophthal Clinics 17:103–118
Cook RG and Glasscock RE (1951) Refractive and ocular findings in the newborn. Amer J Ophthal 34:1407–1413
Cynader M (1979) Interocular alignment following visual deprivation in the cat. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 18:726–741
Dobson V and Teller DY (1978) Visual acuity in human infants: a review and comparison of behavioral and electrophysiological studies. Vision Res 18:1469–1483
Duke-Elder S and Abrams D (1970) Ophthalmic Optics and Refraction. In: (ed S Duke-Elder) System of Ophthalmology, vol. 5. London, Kimpton, pp. 224–226
Gwiazda J, Brill S, Mohindra I and Held R (1978) Infant visual acuity and its meridional variation. Vision Res 18:1557–1564
Gwiazda J, Wolfe J, Brill S, Mohindra I and Held R (1980-A) Quick assessment of preferential looking acuity in infants. Amer J Optom Physiol Optics 57:420–427
Gwiazda J, Brill S, Mohindra I and Held R (1980-B) Preferential looking acuity in infants from two to fifty-eight weeks of age. Amer J Optom Physiol Optics 57:428–432
Gwiazda J, Birch EE and Held R (1981) Le developpement de la vision chez l'enfant. La Recherche 128:1348–1353
Held R (1981) Development of acuity in infants with normal and anomalous visual experience. In: Development of Perception, Vol. 2 (eds RN Aslin, JR Alberts, MR Petersen). New York, Academic Press, pp 279–296
Hiles DA and Wallar PH (1977) Visual results following infantile cataract surgery. Int Ophthal Clinics 17:265–282
Ikeda H and Tremain KE (1978) Amblyopia resulting from penalisation: neurophysiological studies of kittens reared with atropinisation of one or both eyes. Brit J Ophthal 62:21–28
Jacobson SG, Mohindra I and Held R (1981-A) Development of visual acuity in infants with congenital cataracts. Brit J Ophthal 65:727–735
Jacobson SG, Mohindra I and Held R (1981-B) Age of onset of amblyopia in infants with esotropia. Docum Ophthal Proc Ser 30:210–216
Jacobson SG, Mohindra I and Held R (1982) Visual acuity of infants with ocular diseases. Amer J Ophthal 93:198–209
Jacobson SG, Mohindra I and Held R (1983) Monocular visual form deprivation in human infants. Docum Ophthal 55:199–211
Lund RD (1978) Environmental influences on visual responsiveness. In: Development and Plasticity of the Brain (ed R.D. Lund). New York, Oxford University Press, pp 253–284
Mitchell DE, Freeman RD, Millodot M and Haegerstrom G (1973) Meridional amblyopia: evidence for modification of the human visual system by early visual experience. Vision Res 13:535–558
Mohindra I, Held R, Gwiazda J and Brill S (1978) Astigmatism in infants. Science 202:329–331
Mohindra I, Jacobson SG, Thomas J and Held R (1979) Development of amblyopia in infants. Trans Ophthal Soc UK 99:344–346
Mohindra I and Held R (1981) Refraction in humans from birth to five years. Docum Ophthal Proc Ser 28:19–27
Odom JV, Hoyt CS and Marg E (1981) Effect of natural deprivation and unilateral eye patching on visual acuity of infants and children: evoked potential measurements. Arch Ophthal 99:1412–1416
Rogers GL, Tischler CL, Tsou BH, Hertle RW and Fellows RR (1981) Visual acuities in infants with congenital cataracts operated on prior to 6 months of age. Arch Ophthal. 99:999–1003
Smith DC, Lorber R, Stanford LR and Loop MS (1980) Visual acuity following binocular deprivation in the cat. Brain Res 183:1–11
Stryker MP, Sherk H, Leventhal AG and Hirsch H (1978) Physiological consequences for the cat's visual cortex of effectively restricting early visual experience with oriented contours. J Neurophysiol 41:896–909
Taylor D, Vaegan, Morris JA, Rodgers JE and Warland J (1979) Amblyopia in bilateral infantile and juvenile cataract. Trans Ophthal Soc UK 99:170–175
Timney B, Mitchell DE and Giffin F (1978) The development of vision in cats after extended periods of dark rearing. Exp Brain Res 31:547–560
von Noorden GK (1978) Application of basic research data to clinical amblyopia. Ophthalmology 85:496–504
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mohindra, I., Jacobson, S.G. & Held, R. Binocular visual form deprivation in human infants. Doc Ophthalmol 55, 237–249 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00140811
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00140811