[Hypoplasia of the optic disc in children].

Purpose: Analysis of etiological factors and functional assessment of the eyes.

Material And Methods: Optic disc hypoplasia was diagnosed in 43 children, aged 12 months--12 years, unilateral in 9 (20.9%). The follow-up ranged from 8 months to 9 years, the mean age of patients during the last examination was 10.4 years.

Results: The following presumed etiological factors were stated in anamnesis: abose of alcohol by the mothers during pregnancy, syphilis, influenza, herpes and severe anemia. Visual acuity ranged from light perception with false localization to 5/50; in 58% of cases it was not above 1/50 but in 1/5 of the eyes visual acuity for short distance was sufficient for school needs. Concentric contraction and nasal scotoma were revealed in visual field. Hypermetropia was found in 28 eyes. In 3 cases mental dificiency was observed, in 1 of them with atrophy of a temporal cerebral cortex and epilepsia occurred in 1 child.