Purpose Visual processes continue to mature well into childhood, due to the development of the retina, optic nerve, visual pathway
and visual cortex. Normal development of visual acuity and maturation of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) have been well studied,
although rarely for their correlation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the same population of infants and preschool
children for their VEP maturation to flash, pattern-reversal (reversal) and pattern-onset (onset) stimulation, which are normally
used in our everyday clinical protocol, and to determine the relationships between the VEP parameters obtained and the development
of visual acuity.
Methods Forty-one healthy children from 1.5 months to 7.5 years old were included. Their visual acuity for distance was tested with
Teller Acuity Cards (<2 years of age) and Cambridge Visual Acuity Crowding Cards (>2 years of age). VEP latencies and amplitudes
were evaluated to flash (P2 wave), reversal (P100 wave) and onset (C1 wave) binocular stimulation. For reversal and onset
stimulation, checkerboard pattern (check) sizes of 25′, 50′ and 100′ were used.
Results Age-dependent exponential decreases in latencies to flash, reversal and onset stimulation were seen. For amplitudes, there
was an age-dependent increase only to onset stimulation. There was a significant correlation between VEPs and visual acuity
(
P < 0.05) for latencies to flash, reversal and onset stimulation and amplitudes to onset stimulation.
Conclusion These findings indicate the expected maturation of flash, reversal and onset VEPs, and demonstrate their correlation to normal
development of visual acuity. Maturation of VEP latencies is associated with development of visual acuity.
Keywords Children - Electrophysiological maturation - Infants - Visual acuity - Visual evoked potentials
Eva Lenassi and Katarina Likar contributed equally.