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Visual‐motor functions are affected in young adults who were born premature and screened for retinopathy of prematurity
Author(s) -
Pétursdóttir Dýrleif,
Holmström Gerd,
Larsson Eva,
Böhm Birgitta
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.15378
Subject(s) - medicine , retinopathy of prematurity , interquartile range , visual acuity , birth weight , gestational age , pediatrics , incidence (geometry) , low birth weight , audiology , pregnancy , ophthalmology , surgery , genetics , physics , optics , biology
Aim To assess visual‐motor integration in young adults previously included in a prospective study on the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods The study encompassed 59 preterm individuals, born 1988‐1990, with a birth weight ≤1500 g, and 44 full‐term controls, aged 25‐29 years. Ophthalmological examination, including visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, and the Beery Visual‐Motor Integration (VMI) with supplemental tests of visual perception and motor coordination, were performed. A short questionnaire was filled in. Results The preterm individuals had significantly lower scores than the controls in all VMI tests, median values and interquartile ranges: Beery VMI 87 (21) vs 103 (11), visual perception 97 (15) vs 101 (8) and motor coordination 97 (21) vs 102 (15), respectively. Within the preterm group, no correlations were found between the VMI tests and ROP, gestational age, birth weight or visual acuity. Contrast sensitivity was correlated to visual perception. Neurological complication at 2.5 years was a risk factor for lower scores on Beery VMI. The preterm subjects reported six times as many health problems as compared to the controls. Conclusion Being born preterm seemed to have life‐long effects. This study shows that visual‐motor integration was affected in young adults born preterm.