BRAIN PATHWAY MALFUNCTIONS INCREASINGLY CAUSING VISION PROBLEMS IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS
ITASCA, IL, November 19, 2024 - Impaired vision in children doesn’t always happen because of issues related directly to the eye and can instead be caused by incorrect brain pathways. A new clinical report, “Diagnosis and Care of Children With Cortical Visual Impairment,” published in the December 2024 Pediatrics (published online Nov. 19) examines the leading cause of pediatric visual impairment: issues within the patient’s brain.
Cortical visual impairment occurs when pathways in the brain that help in visual processing don’t function properly, leading to impacted vision. There are a variety of reasons this can happen, from lack of oxygen to the brain during birth to head trauma and seizures. The issue is particularly prominent in developing nations such as South India, where 44% of children younger than age 3 with visual impairments have been diagnosed with cortical visual impairment. Diagnosis can also be delayed if the patient lives with other physical or mental conditions such as cerebral palsy. This data has raised concern among study authors who stressed the importance of early detection.
The AAP recommends that pediatricians familiarize themselves with the condition and its causes, improve communication within the patient’s healthcare team and support research on cortical visual impairment so screening, diagnosis and treatment can improve.
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