Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) (AKA: Cortical Blindness, Neurological Visual Impairment) Region 4 Charlotte Conner, Regan Marburger, Sarah Mays, Kelly Hill, Christy Moody

What is CVI?? Most commonly seen in children Not caused by eye condition Disturbance in visual pathway and function of the brain Affects the posterior visual pathways and/or occipital lobes CVI can range from mild to severe and can range from temporary to permanent

Characteristics Eye exam appears normal Short visual attention span Some light sensitivity Light gazing Close viewing of objects Neither neurological handicaps present Looks away when reaching Will listen rather than look Differences with visual novelty

Causes – Head injury – Brain damage – Cerebral Tumor – Malformation of the brain – Epilepsy (Status Epilepticus*) – Meningitis (Bacterial*) – Cardiac Arrest* – Shunt Malfunction – Hypoxia/ anoxia of the brain (possibly at birth or from near SIDS incidents)

Other Condition Related to CVI Most students with CVI are multiply impaired, to name a few… Other Condition Related to CVI – Cerebral Palsy – Intellectual Disability – Hydrocephalus – Microcephaly * Poor prognosis

Clinical Testing to Diagnose – ERG-Electroretinography – EEG-Electroencephalography – VEP-Evoked Potential (spontaneous response) – VEPM-Visual Evoked Potential Mapping – FPL-Forced Preferential Looking – MRI-Magnetic Resonance Imaging – CT-computed tomography SPECT: single-photon emission computed tomography

Functional Vision Assessment Informal observations Collection of anecdotal records Interviews with parents and significant others Formalized and structured observations Informal screening using standardized vision screening materials Visual latency

Instructional Strategies High contrast and simple materials presented at one time Bright lighting to help keep the child’s visual attention Use a multisensory approach Repetition and routine Acuity is measured by complexity. Look Away-Touch Reflective movement of items for tracking

More Instructional Activities Tell student what they are seeing and encourage them to feel and explore it. Restrict the number of people who are involved in intervention. Visual images should be simple and presented in isolation. It may be necessary to turn off a light or use diffused lighting to get students to focus on a task.

Treatment Treatment varies with each student and the underlying neurological disease. Early intervention is key to stimulate visual development

Case Study & Fact Sheet See MS Word documents 2007 (*.docx) See after July 26, 2010www.charlyconner.info Video

References AAPOS. (2010). AAPOS :: Cortical Visual Impairment. American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Retrieved July 01, 2010, from American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. (2010, March 2). What is CVI? American Printing House for the Blind. Retrieved July 01, 2010, from Demchak, M., Rickard, C., & Elquist, M. (n.d.). Tips for home and school Cortical Visual Impairment. University of Nevada, Reno. Retrieved January, 2003, from Good, W.V., Jan, J.E., Skoczenski, A., & Candy, R. (2000). Recent advances in cortical visual impairment. CVI Home Articles and Videos Research. Retrieved July 24, 2010 from Morgan, S. (2002, July 30). Neurological Visual Impairment - Also Known as: Cortical Visual Impairment, Delayed Visual Maturation, Cortical Blindness. Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Retrieved July 01, 2010, from Palmer, C. (n.d.). CHILDREN WITH CORTICAL VISION IMPAIRMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION (pp , Rep.). School of Special Education and Disability Studies. Retrieved July 1, Christine Roman-Lantzy, Formost Professor in the field of CVI, retired. Find her on Google. NOVA Clinic, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, Low Vision Clinic for Low Functioning Children Part of the University Eye Institute, the NOVA Clinic meets the vision needs of multiple challenged individuals. For information, contact: Viola Rivera Coordinator, Specialty Clinics (713) Web page:

Teamwork Charlotte- oral presentation Regan & Sarah- Powerpoint Christy Moody- fact sheet Kelly Hill- case study