The Developmental Vision service at Great Ormond Street Hospital has launched an unprecedented study to investigate the effectiveness of early intervention approaches for babies and toddlers with visual impairment. This national study, launched in March, is the brainchild of the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) and is being co-funded by Fight for Sight and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Chief Investigators Naomi Dale and Alison Salt will track the development of 95 babies born with a congenital visual impairment over the first three years of life. The main objective of the study is to identify whether specific early intervention materials including the Early Support Developmental Journal for Infants (commissioned by the government in 2005–6) improve the child’s outlook and whether they alleviate some of the serious vulnerabilities in development, such as ‘developmental setback’.

Each year in the UK, around 430 children are diagnosed with a visual impairment, mainly in infancy and the Developmental Vision service sees over 150 new referrals each year with most aged between birth and two years.

Naomi Dale explains: “We’re looking forward to beginning this important work, which is the result of a unique collaboration between our three organisations. The interaction of a parent or practitioner with a severely visually-impaired child may be key to supporting the child’s social and cognitive development. This study will help us learn a great deal more about the most effective ways of helping parents and infants and will lead us to the evidence-based practice of the future”.