The study of visual evoked potentials in children with retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

Visual functions in children after retinopathy of prematurity depend not only on the degree of residual clinical changes in the fundus and structural features of the retina, but also on the state of the pathways and higher parts of the visual analyzer, which can be investigated by recording visual evoked potentials. This examination method involves recording the overall response of large populations of cortical neurons to the synchronous flow of impulses coming to them, arising in response to an afferent stimulus and reflecting mainly the electrical activity of the macular area. The registration of visual evoked potentials in the retinopathy of prematurity has an important diagnostic value for identifying the level and degree of damage to the pathways and higher parts of the visual analyzer. This literature review presents the data of foreign and domestic authors on the state of the pathways and higher parts of the visual analyzer in premature babies and children with retinopathy of prematurity using the registration of visual evoked potentials. It has been noted that the magnocellular system, which is activated in response to motor stimuli, is affected to a greater extent in preterm infants than the parvocellular system, which functions in response to pattern stimuli. A comprehensive ophthalmological examination with the registration of visual evoked potentials on the presentation of pattern-reversing stimuli and/or on a flash stimulus should be carried out in children with cicatricial stages of retinopathy of prematurity, in order to identify and confirm the concomitant pathology of the optic nerve. It has been established that the frequency of registration of pathologically altered visual evoked potentials as the severity of retinopathy of prematurity increases, indicating an increase in pathway dysfunction. The effect of laser coagulation of the retina and the volume of its implementation in retinopathy of prematurity on the functional state of the visual analyzer was studied.