Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI)
CVI Facts
Cortical Vision Impairment is a vision impairment that occurs due to damage within visual pathways of the brain.
Cortical Vision Impairment is the leading cause of vision impairments for children. Approximately 30-40% of children with vision impairments have cortical vision impairment. (source: CVI connect)
A child with CVI may have had an eye exam in which a doctor says their vision is not of concern regarding eye health. CVI is how well the child visually interprets what they see, not visual details.
Children at risk for Cortical Vision Impairment include children who are premature, seizures, hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, drug exposure, hypoxic or other neurological impairments.
Children with CVI may be attracted to a preferred color (red, yellow, blue, green), shiny metallic items, light gaze. Children can be slow to visually explore, look away from faces, complex toys or busy environments.
Children with CVI may look, look away before reaching, look out of the corner of their eye, shake head back and forth frequently, and have difficulty with isolating a finger for pointing.
Children with CVI can learn and meet their goals with individualized supports in their daily activities.
“Children with cortical vision impairment challenge us to see the world through their eyes and their hearts for they shine brightly among us!"
- Lynda Crouch, CLVT,OTR/L, ATP
Resources & Stories
Read about our students stories and the solutions we’ve found to help them.
| Image | Title | Summary | Date | wpdmcategory_hfilter | tags_hfilter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to Make a Slant Board | Slant boards provide an alternative surface on which a child can practice … | June 23, 2020 | occupational-therapy | assistive-technology | |
 | How to Make Picture Prompts | Sometimes children have difficulty following routine verbal directions because they need extra time to auditorily process what you are asking them to do. Using a picture prompt can greatly increase a child’s level of success in following through with your … | June 16, 2020 | down-syndrome diagnosis | |
 | DIY Sensory Play Wall | Sensory walls are an easy thing to set up for anyone working with a visually impaired little one. With just a few items found around the house, your little one can explore and have hours of … | June 9, 2020 | sensory-processing diagnosis | |
| How to Introduce Objects to Children with CVI | Opportunities to use vision should be incorporated into your child’s everyday life. Here are some ways to place opportunities for your child to see throughout their daily … | June 2, 2020 | cortical-vision-impairment diagnosis | ||
| Communicating with a Non-Verbal Child | Here you will find some tips on how to communicate with a non-verbal child adapted from Friendship Circle. The following content was contributed by parents of children and adults with special … | May 26, 2020 | speech-therapy | ||
| Preparing Little Hands to Write | If you are working with a child who is uninterested in writing or coloring, my advice is this: Stop worrying about coloring and start by engaging them in what they are interested in! Here are some ideas for creating opportunities to learn writing … | May 19, 2020 | occupational-therapy |