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Vision

Seeing involves several steps. When a person looks at an object, visual information travels through the primary visual pathways to the visual center at the back of the brain. There, features such as color, size, shape, and depth are processed, and the information is then sent to other areas of the brain for further interpretation and recognition. This coordinated processing allows a person to understand what they are seeing. Visual impairments fall into two main categories: ocular visual impairment and cerebral/cortical visual impairment (CVI). Ocular visual impairment results from problems with structures of the eye, such as the cornea, lens, retina, or optic nerve, and may be treated with glasses, medication, or surgery. In contrast, Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) is a neurological condition in which the eyes function properly, but the brain has difficulty processing visual information.

Your Team:

Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS)

A credentialed expert who evaluates, trains, and empowers individuals with visual impairments to use assistive technology for independence in education, employment, and daily life.

Neuro-ophthalmologist

A specialist for visual symptoms or loss resulting from brain diseases.

Occupational Therapist

A therapist who treats through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.

Ophthalmologist

A medical specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the eye.

Optometrist

A licensed, primary healthcare professional focusing on eye and vision health.

Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O&M)

A certified professional who teaches individuals with visual impairments to travel safely, confidently, and independently in their environment.

Physical Therapist

A specialist in the treatment of disease or injury by means of exercise to improve movement and manage pain.

Sleep Specialist

A medical specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, often working with ENTs, Psychologists and Neurologists.

Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI)

A licensed special education professional who provides direct or consultative instruction to students (birth to age 21) with blindness or low vision.

An ophthalmologist, neuro-ophthalmologist, or an optometrist who is highly knowledgeable about brain and eye disorders can diagnose your child with vision issues. A neurologist can diagnosis certain vision problems including Cerebral/Cortical visual impairment (CVI). Your child’s educational team may include a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI), an Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O&M), and a Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS). Your child may also benefit from support from an occupational, speech or physical therapist.

Adapting to Diagnosis

Collecting information, care and support as issues emerge for your child and your journey begins.

Building Strengths

Maximizing your child’s core skills and family resiliency to develop a foundation for the journey.

Adjusting to Changes

Making decisions and adapting to your child’s evolving baseline throughout the journey.

Navigating Decline

Re-orienting goals and finding support alongside declines in your child’s condition, preparing you for the end of your child’s journey.

Present In Some

Strabismus

A condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned due to weak or poorly controlled eye muscles. This can happen if the brain areas that control eye movement are injured or not working well. Strabismus can also occur when there is vision loss in one or both eyes, causing the eyes to lose focus and drift; this is called sensory strabismus. 

Nystagmus  

A condition in which the eyes make repetitive, uncontrolled movements. It can occur when the brain areas that control steady eye movement are injured. Nystagmus can also result from severe vision loss in one or both eyes, when the eyes do not receive enough visual input; this is called sensory nystagmus. 

Amblyopia

Also called “lazy eye,” amblyopia develops when the eyes do not work together properly before about age 8–10. This prevents the vision centers in the brain from fully developing. Amblyopia can be caused by any condition that reduces vision in one or both eyes during early childhood, such as an eye injury, an uncorrected need for glasses, strabismus, or something that blocks vision in one eye.

Peripheral Vision Loss

Peripheral vision loss is trouble seeing things off to the side of what you’re directly looking at. It is often caused by damage to parts of the eye or to the visual pathways in the brain that disrupt how visual information travels and is processed. 

Refractive Errors 

Refractive errors happen when the shape of the eye keeps light from focusing correctly on the retina, causing blurred vision that can affect seeing near, far, or both. It can usually be corrected with prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other treatments that help focus light properly onto the back of the eye.

Optic Nerve Abnormalities

This refers to damage or dysfunction of the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain; when it’s injured by trauma, inflammation, poor blood flow, toxins, or disease, it can lead to blurry vision, reduced sharpness and color perception, and loss of parts of the visual field.

Colobomas 

A coloboma is a congenital (present at birth) eye defect where normal tissue in some part of the eye is missing because it didn’t fully form before birth, and the degree of vision impact depends on where the missing tissue is located. They do not progress after birth.