Our vision relies on our eyes and on our brain. Cerebral/Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI) occurs where damage or disorder to the visual pathways and visual processing centres of the brain causes vision impairment.

 

In other words, while the eyes may be able to see, the brain has challenges in translating what the eyes are seeing. 

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CVI is the leading cause of vision impairment in children in developed countries

(Philip & Dutton, 2014).

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CVI occurs where all the following characteristics exist:

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• An ocular eye exam that is normal or cannot explain the functional vision impairment; 


• A history of a significant congenital or acquired brain injury or neurological disorder; and 


• The presence of unique visual characteristics and behaviours associated with CVI.