NIH-led scientific team defines elements of brain-related visual impairment in children

Press release

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Research is needed to determine the best management and diagnostic strategies for an increasingly common disease.

The National Institutes of Health has convened experts to identify five key features of a brain-related condition that is a leading cause of vision impairment in children in the United States. Some estimates indicate that as many as 80% of people in the United States and other industrialized countries suffer from cerebral vision impairment. At least 3% of primary school children have visual problems related to ICVSymptoms can vary but include difficulty locating an object, person, or scene with complex movements. The report was based on expert opinion and evidence. Ophthalmology.

Lotfi Merabet is an associate professor at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School in Boston. She is a co-author of this report.

Melinda Y. Chang, MD, is an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology and a co-author of the report. She said early identification of children who need further evaluation and rehabilitation strategies will help raise awareness.

According to experts, the ICV is composed of five elements:

• The brain: CVI is a series of visual impairments caused by a brain abnormality that affects the visual pathways (the neural connections in the brain that process vision). These visual pathway abnormalities cause functional visual impairment in all patients with CVI. This interferes with the ability to perform everyday tasks.
• Eye exam shows more visual dysfunction than expected Patients with CVI may also have an eye problem. CVI is diagnosed when the primary cause of the vision problem cannot be explained by an eye problem.
• Visual deficits can be classified into: CVI can cause both lower- and higher-order visual impairments. Lower-order visual deficits may include reduced contrast sensitivity, reduced visual acuity, and a reduced field of vision (the size of the person's eyes). Higher-order deficits include difficulty recognizing objects and faces, a reduced ability to visually search for someone or something, spatial orientation, complex motion perception, and more than one thing at a time.
• Differentiating Overlapping Neurological Disorders CVI is not the primary language, social communication, or learning disorder. It can occur with other neurodevelopmental disorders. CVI is associated with cerebral palsy, while autism and dyslexia may also be present. CVI may be misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed in children with other neurodevelopmental disorders.
• IVC can be easily overlooked The underlying abnormality in a developing child's brain may not be recognized or diagnosed until later, when they are able to express and recognize their functional visual impairments. Screening for CVI should be performed in individuals who are at high risk of having suffered a neurological injury. For example, infants with periventricular lukomalacia (an abnormality found in the ventricles of the brain) or premature babies. Imaging technology may be insufficient to diagnose CVI.

Dr. Michael F. Chiang is the director of the National Eye Institute at the NIH.

The NEI is overseeing the creation of a database to collect data on individuals with CVI. Researchers will have access to the database to better understand CVI symptoms and define diagnostic and rehabilitation practices. Visit the website to learn more. NIH CVI Registry Website.

This report on CVI is based on a workshop organized by the NEI, in partnership with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a companion report to help pediatricians identify CVI. Children's health.

NEI leads federal efforts to end vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research…by stimulating innovation, fostering collaborative relationships, expanding the supply of vision workers, and educating key stakeholders and the public. NEI funds basic and clinical research programs that aim to improve the quality of life for people with low vision and develop sight-saving treatments. Visit the site for more information. https://www.nei.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health: The NIH is the medical research agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It comprises 27 institutes and centers. The NIH, the national medical research agency, is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is responsible for conducting basic, translational, clinical, and other medical research. Visit the NIH website for more information about its programs and services. www.nih.gov.

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