Strong papillary light reflex in infants linked to a later diagnosis of autism

Strong papillary light reflex in infants linked to a later diagnosis of autism

How many of you like to travel? As humans, almost all of us have a desire to travel, to visit previously unknown places, to explore new territory (although, quite frankly, there are not many places in this century that can claim to be new territory). Now the question is whether all or any of us, irrespective of our love for travel, actually enjoy traveling and the benefits that come with it like learning new places, learning a new culture, etc., unless we had the power of sight, right?

Importance of eyes

I mean, how could we gasp at the sight of the now extinct Fiji volcano, or how could we enjoy the lush greenery of the Canadian forests, or say, how could we see the almost dreamlike Taj Mahal on a moonlit night, or how could we see the love that our parents had or still have for us if we did not have this God-given vision?

Medical conditions associated with the eye

In these circumstances, we realize the importance of our eyes, because to be eyes is to live in the 21st century with every light existing in primeval darkness without light or illumination. And since the topic of darkness has been touched on, why not talk about how sad or depressed or irritated we feel when load shedding occurs? In these moments we realize, even if only for a short time, what it means to be blind or without sight. Now of course the eyes also have their own diseases or illnesses that affect them too?

Read on to know more about one such eye disease or medical condition that is common worldwide.

autism

Autism is or can be defined as a disease or medical condition that results in social awkwardness and repetition of thoughts or behaviors or patterns in the same.

Papillary reactions

Scientific studies have shown that infants or older children with autism tend to have increased sensitivity to light, meaning they exhibit a strong papillary light reflex when exposed to it. When further studies were done, they showed that infants had a higher tendency to be diagnosed with autism than the general population because they showed this strong papillary response more than the general population in adults.

What are Papillary Reactions?

Papillary responses can be defined as the responses of the nerves of the eyes when exposed to a particular optical environment or an environment containing different degrees or types of light. Reactions can be extreme or normal or subpar.

Conclusion

It can therefore be said that autism is a disease or medical deficiency that causes social awkwardness and repetition of thoughts and behavior, and one of its most visible symptoms related to the eyes is the strong papillary reaction or hypersensitivity to light.

Inspired by Shalini Madhav