Why does my child have bilateral optic pathway dysfunction?

Q: The doctor is suspecting that our newborn baby (1.5 months) has bilateral optic pathway dysfunction. What is it and how can it be treated? What will this dysfunction result in?

A:Optic pathway dysfunction is a condition in which visual stimuli from the eyes are not properly transmitted to the brain and as a result vision may suffer. Diagnosis would have been made by Electroencephalogram like test called visual evoked responses. MRI scan would be helpful to know the reason. Unfortunately, there may not be any treatment for this condition but vision could improve over time as the baby is growing up. He/she should be closely monitored by a paediatric ophthalmologist at a good centre like Shankar Nethralay in Chennai.