Visual problems as a result of brain damage in children

摘要

Damage to the brain is the commonest cause of visual impairment in children in developed countries. Improved survival of premature infants has increased the prevalence of periventricular leucomalacia, and greater success in managing profoundly ill children has led to increased survival of children with meningitis, encephalitis, and hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy. Hydrocephalus is now also successfully treated, while congenital disorders of the brain add to the prevalence of brain dysfunction. On the other hand, early treatment of cataract, the successful management of glaucoma, screening for retinoblastoma, and effective immunisation for rubella have all decreased the prevalence of blindness in children as a result of eye disorders.