Natural history of cerebral visual impairment in children with cerebral palsy

Aim: To longitudinally evaluate the natural history of cerebral visual impairment (CVI) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and identify which early visual signs or symptoms are associated with cognitive visual disorders (CVDs) at school age. Method: Fifty-one individuals with CP and CVI underwent an ophthalmological, oculomotor, and basic visual function evaluation at three time points: T0 (6–35 months old); T1 (3–5 years old); and T2 (≥6 years old). We also performed a cognitive visual evaluation at T2. Logistic regression fitted using a generalized estimation equation (binary) and cumulative link models (ordinal) were used to model the outcomes of interest. Results: Ophthalmological deficits were stable over time, except for ocular fundus abnormalities (T1–T0, p = 0.01; T2–T1, p = 0.02; T2–T0, p < 0.01) and strabismus, whose frequency increased with age (T2–T0, p= 0.02 with T2-T0, p = 0.05). Conversely, fixation (T1–T0, T2–T0, p < 0.01), smooth pursuit (T2–T1, T2–T0, p < 0.01), saccades (T1–T0, T2–T1, T2–T0, p < 0.01), as well as visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and visual field (T1–T0, T2–T0, p < 0.01) all improved over time. Early oculomotor dysfunction was associated with CVD at T2. Interpretation: Although a diagnosis of CVI was confirmed in all children at each time point, several visual signs and symptoms improved over time; in some cases, they reached complete recovery at T1 and T2. These results emphasize the ‘permanent’ but ‘not unchanging’ nature of the CVI associated with CP during development.