What is Preferential Looking test ?

Preferential Looking test

Preferential Looking test is an ophthalmic procedure to test the visual acuity and detect any abnormalities of vision in infants. 

It's based on the idea that children prefer to see at patterns or images rather than a blank field.

How to do Preferential Looking test ?  

1. The child is seated in front of a screen or display.

2. A pattern or image is presented on one side of the screen, and a blank field is presented on the other side.

3. The child's gaze or eye movements are recorded or observed.

4. If the child can see the pattern or image, they will tend to look at it more than the blank field.

5. The test is repeated with different patterns or images, gradually increasing in complexity or detail.

6. The smallest pattern or image that the child can detect is used to estimate their visual acuity.

Importance of Preferential Looking test 

- Test visual acuity in children too young for standard visual acuity tests

- Detecting visual impairments or amblyopia (lazy eye)

- Monitoring visual development in infants and young children

- Evaluating the effectiveness of treatment for visual impairments

There are different versions of the Preferential Looking test, including:

- Teller Acuity Cards

- Lea Symbols

- Cardiff Acuity Test

- Van Slyke Preferential Looking Test

These tests vary in their specific design and methodology but share the same basic principle of using preferential looking to assess visual acuity.