THE STATE OF THE VISUAL ANALYZER IN THE CHILDREN WITH RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

A high frequency of pathological changes in the visual analyzer was documented in the children with retinopathy of prematurity (RP) depending on the severity of the disease. They occurred in 38.6% of the patients with grade 0-1 RP and in up to 100% of those with grade 4 RP. In the majority of the patients with minimal residual changes associated with retinopathy of prematurity, the disturbances of evoked visual potentials (EVP) appear to be caused by the pathological processes in the visual pathways and the upper parts of the visual analyzer. As the severity of the disease increases, the development of vision becomes increasingly influenced not only by the concomitant pathology of the optic tract but also by the consequences of preceding RP. The combined application of the methods used for multichannel recording of EVP and HRT substantially extends the possibilities for the estimation of the character and the level of injuries to the visual pathways, the prediction of formation of visual functions, and the choice of the therapeutic strategy for the management of the patients presenting with retinopathy of prematurity.

retinopathy of prematurity, evoked visual potentials, retinal tomography, visual analyzer