We measured vision function in a number of 7-month-old infants with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and compared these findings to those for 7-month-old infants of normal birth weight. The IUGR infants had an average visual acuity of 6/162 (20/540) and an average spherical refractive error of 1.49 D hyperopia. The normal birth weight infants had an average visual acuity of 6/118.8 (20/396) and an average spherical refractive error of 0.94 D hyperopia. However, the differences between the infant groups for visual acuity and refractive error were not statistically significant. Anisometropia, astigmatism, and strabismus were infrequent for both infant groups. The results of this study suggest that IUGR infants have visual abilities resembling those of normal birth weight infants. © 1986 American Academy of Optometry.
