Brain-based Vision Impairment (CVI)

What is CVI?

 

Brain-based vision impairment — known as cortical or cerebral visual impairment (CVI) — is caused by damage or disruption to the visual pathways and visual processing centres of the brain, rather than to the eyes themselves. CVI is the leading cause of vision loss in children in developed countries.

 

CVI can result from asphyxia, stroke, traumatic brain injury, infection (such as meningitis or toxoplasmosis), or brain tumour. It can also coexist alongside ocular (eye-based) vision impairment.

 

How is CVI identified?

 

CVI is typically indicated when all three of the following are present:

 

- An eye examination that is normal, or that cannot fully explain the child's functional vision difficulties.

- A history of significant congenital or acquired brain injury or neurological disorder.

- The presence of visual characteristics and behaviours that are uniquely associated with CVI.

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Please note: A formal diagnosis of CVI must come from a qualified medical professional — such as an ophthalmologist, neuropsychologist, or paediatrician. As an Orientation & Mobility specialist, I am not able to provide a diagnosis. What I can offer is a detailed functional assessment of how CVI affects your child's vision in everyday life, and targeted strategies to support their independence and participation.

 

​Assessment: A Comprehensive, Multi-Tool Approach

 

There is no single assessment that captures the full picture of how a child with CVI sees and functions in the world. A thorough CVI assessment draws on multiple tools, frameworks, and clinical observations to build a complete and meaningful profile.

 

Assessment approaches I use include:

 

The Perkins CVI Protocol (Newcomb, 2022) — A structured and systematic framework designed to capture a detailed profile of a child's visual functioning across real-world settings. It examines visual behaviours, strengths, and challenges, with a strong emphasis on educational planning and team collaboration. This approach supports families and educators in building meaningful, tailored interventions that reflect how the child actually uses their vision day to day.

 

Gordon Dutton's Assessment Frameworks (Lueck & Dutton, 2015) — Drawing on the extensive research of Professor Gordon Dutton, these approaches help identify the specific nature of a child's visual processing difficulties, including dorsal and ventral stream dysfunction, and their practical impact on learning and daily life.

 

The TeachCVI Framework — A contemporary, evidence-informed approach that informs intervention and educational planning for children with CVI.

 

Observational and functional assessment — Systematic observation across home, school, and community environments is an essential component of any CVI assessment. Understanding how a child uses their vision in real, meaningful contexts is central to planning effective support.

 

Assessments can be conducted face-to-face or remotely via video call, depending on individual circumstances.

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My Role: Orientation & Mobility and CVI

 

As an Orientation & Mobility (O&M) specialist, my focus is on how CVI affects a child's ability to move safely, independently, and confidently through their environment — both familiar and unfamiliar spaces.

 

CVI has a profound and often under-recognised impact on orientation and mobility. Difficulties with visual complexity, depth perception, movement, contrast, and visual-spatial processing can all affect how a child navigates the world around them.

 

Following assessment, I work collaboratively with children, families, educators, and allied health professionals to develop targeted O&M strategies that reflect each child's unique visual profile. Interventions are embedded into daily routines — at home, in early childhood settings, and at school — and are regularly reviewed as the child's visual functioning develops.

 

With appropriate, well-targeted support, children with CVI can make meaningful progress in how they use their vision and how they engage with the world around them.

 

 A note on the evidence base: The field of CVI assessment is evolving rapidly. I am committed to drawing on current, evidence-informed tools and approaches, and to reflecting best practice as our understanding of CVI continues to develop.

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How Do I Get a Functional Assessment for CVI?

 

I provide information and assessment services across Australia, available either face-to-face or via Telehealth. Please contact me for further information.

 

Further Resources and Information

 

The following websites offer useful resources and information about CVI:

 

CVI Scotland

cviscotland.org

 

CVI Now (Perkins School for the Blind)

perkins.org/cvi-now

 

American Printing House for the Blind — CVI

tech.aph.org/cvi

 

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Click on the images above for more information about the training and micro-credentials I have earned from Perkins School for the Blind eLearning.

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