Ocular manifestations associated with microcephaly

Aim: Microcephaly is a neurodevelopmental disorder and eye being a derivative of neural tube is most commonly affected. This study describes ocular manifestations associated with microcephaly. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted which included 16 children referred from department of paediatrics with diagnosis of microcephaly. Detailed history followed by Ocular examination with assessment of visual acuity, strabismus evaluation, slit lamp examination and fundoscopy were performed. Visual acuity assessment was done by Snellen’s and Jaeger’s chart for distance and near vision respectively in verbal children and fixation behaviour assessment for preverbal children. Result: Mean age of children was 5yrs. All children showed delayed development of visual system. The ocular manifestations observed were myopia in 7, delayed fixation in 4, strabismus in 5, and horizontal nystagmus in 2 children. Conclusion: Myopia (7/18 as per our results) and strabismus (5/18 as per our result) being the ocular manifestations most often associated with microcephaly require early detection, prompt management and follow-up so as to reduce visual morbidity that results from these conditions Keywords: Microcephaly, Nystagmus, Strabismus.