Functional Vision Assessment With Very Young Children Tanni L. Anthony, Ph.D. NTAC Meeting - Tampa, FL April 27, 2004

FUNCTIONAL VISION ASSESSMENT Assessing what HELPS visual performance Assessing what HINDERS visual performance

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Philosophy of Assessment Parent input and participation are essential, as it a team approach. It takes time to complete a FVA. The FVA should reflect real life learning and activities. It is key to determine the child’s learning style. Qualitative and quantitative skills should be noted in a FVA.

FACT FINDING Medical Information Developmental Information

The Visual Response Continuum Awareness →→→→Attention→→→Understanding Lights →→→→→→ People →→→→ Objects Fixation→→→→→→→→→→→→→ Tracking Near→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→ Far Peripheral →→→→→→→→→→→→Central Familiar →→→→→→→→→→→→→ Unfamiliar Parts →→→→→→→→→→→→→→ Wholes Simple →→→→→→→→→→→→→ Complex Large →→→→→→→→→→→→→ Small

Pieces of the FVA Puzzle Need for Rapport / Emotional Safety Familiar vs. Unfamiliar Settings / Tasks Environ-mental Control Factors Attention to Positioning Type of Sensory Targets Need for Wait Time Reading Child Response Reviewing all Sensory Responses

Emotional Safety / Rapport The infant’s first tasks are attachment and sensory regulation. These are the building blocks to effective and efficient visual skill development. Stress will negatively impact visual performance.

Familiar vs. Unfamiliar “Authentic Assessment” in the early years: completing assessments in settings familiar to the child with people who are familiar to the child. with objects that are familiar to the child.

Environmental Control Pay attention to: Focal Distance / Size / Angle Lighting Auditory Distractions Visual Clutter Contrast / Color

Positioning Ensure the child is in a supported posture. Hips support = trunk support = head support. Focus should be on looking and not maintaining balance.

Vision is not the Only Learning Sense FVA should not be completed in isolation of other sensory assessment. Utilize other tools and other professionals to build a true perspective of child’s individual sensory learning profile.

Sensory Targets Be aware of the sensory hierarchy. Look for preferences.

Sequence of Sensory Development Touch Vestibular Taste Smell Auditory Vision

Wait Time Be patient – it may take some infants a very long time to initially respond to sensory stimuli.

FVA Components: First Glance Appearance of Eyes Presence of Nystagmus Corrective Lenses

FVA Components: Visual Reflexes Pupillary Response Defensive Blink Dolls Eye Response

Reception and Perception of Visual Stimuli Light Perception Light Projection Shadow and Form Perception Hand Motion

COLOR VISION Genetic Predisposition Eye Condition Simple Preferences

MUSCLE IMBALANCE Eso Exo Hyper Hypo

Eye Preference Anisometropia Nystagmus Equity Monocular Items

OCULAR MOTOR BEHAVIORS FIXATION CONVERGENCE DIVERGENCE TRACING TRACKING SHIFT OF GAZE SCANNING

Eye Teaming Continued Depth Perception Figure- Ground Perception

Field of Vision Hemanopsia Scotoma Tunnel Vision

Light Sensitivity Light-Dark Adaptation Contrast Sensitivity

VISUAL ACUITY Preferred Viewing Distance Near and Distance Force Preferential Looking Functional Acuity

Reading Rate & Comprehension Classroom materials Reading Efficiency Kit materials. Community materials.

Visual Motor Coordination Gross Motor Tasks Fine Motor Tasks Handwriting Skills

VISUAL COGNITIVE SKILLS Imitation Identification Matching, Sorting, Classifying Sequencing

VISUAL PERCEPTION SKILLS Visual Closure Part-Whole Pattern Recognition Figure-Ground Discrimination Spatial Orientation

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