Visual field defects in pediatric patients on vigabatrin monotherapy

Vigabatrin (GVG) is an effective antiepileptic drug used for treating partial seizures in adults and children. Over the last years, an increasing number of articles have been published reporting visual field defects (VFD) associated with GVG therapy in adults. To date, however, only an small number of pediatric patients have been reported. This paper is a retrospective review of clinical review to evaluate the prevalence and features of VFD in pediatric patients on GVG monotherapy. Methods: Fifteen children, on GVG therapy in the Department of Child Neurology, underwent visual field examination by static threshold automated perimetry using the Humphrey Field Analyzer Program 30-2. The age of these patients ranged from 6 to 18 years (12.4 +/- 3.6 years), 10 of them being male and five female. Results: Three patients (20%) on GVG monotherapy showed VFD. These consisted in localised, bilateral, and relatively symmetrical, nasal field loss, with relative preservation of the temporal field within the central 30degrees area.