Measuring recovery of visual function in children with papilledema using sweep visual evoked potentials

PurposeTo assess visual function in children with papilledema using sweep visual evoked potentials (VEP) to determine whether vision function improved following treatment.MethodsContrast sensitivity and grating acuity were prospectively measured by using sweep visual evoked potential testing in children with mild or moderate acute papilledema. A subset of children were tested longitudinally before and after treatment. Subject data was compared with that of age-matched controls using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test.ResultsA total of 9 subjects (age range, 9-16 years) and 11 controls were included; 5 subjects were studied longitudinally. The control group's logMAR grating acuity (mean, 0.09; range, −0.13 to 0.36) was better than that of the papilledema group (mean, 0.36; range 0.15-0.59). Four patients showed recovery of contrast sensitivity following treatment of their raised intracranial pressure between first and last visit.ConclusionsIn our study cohort, sweep VEP was able to detect early improvement in contrast sensitivity despite absence of apparent clinical change in disk edema in children undergoing treatment for raised intracranial pressure.