Vision in children with autism spectrum disorder: a critical review

- The article discusses vision in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- ASD has a prevalence of approximately 1-2% in the population and has lifelong effects.
- Early intervention and management are crucial for maximizing the quality of life and outcomes for individuals with ASD.
- Studies have attempted to link behavioral and sensory deficits in ASD with underlying visual processing.
- Individuals with ASD process the world differently, but there are gaps in our understanding.
- The article summarizes current knowledge about key aspects of visual functions and the optometric profile of ASD.
- Key findings include normal visual acuity, atypical eye movements, susceptibility for visuo-motor deficits, increased prevalence of strabismus, increased likelihood of astigmatism and possibly other refractive errors, attention, crowding, and task complexity issues, and possible compromises in retinal structure and function.
- The article emphasizes the need for further research to understand how higher-level functions relate to behaviors and to fully grasp the profile of visual processing in ASD.
- Comprehensive vision care is highlighted as beneficial for children with ASD.