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CVI: A Brain-Based Visual Impairment

Examples of Different CVI Terminology

CVI Visual Behaviors(Perkins, 2024)

  1. Visual attention  
  2. Visual recognition  
  3. Impact of clutter/crowding/spacing  
  4. Visual field abilities  
  5. Impact of color 
  6. Form accessibility  
  7. Visual guidance of the upper limbs  
  8. Visual guidance of the lower limbs 
  9. Access to people 
  10. Impact of light 
  11. Response interval  
  12. Impact of motion 
  13. Sensory integration and impact on vision
  14. Visual curiosity 
  15. Appearance of the eyes  
  16. Movement of the eyes 

CVI Characteristics (Roman, 2018)

  1. Absence of visually guided reach 
  2. Color preference 
  3. Atypical visual reflex responses 
  4. Difficulty with distance viewing 
  5. Difficulty with visual complexity 
  6. Difficulty with visual novelty 
  7. Need for light 
  8. Need for movement  
  9. Visual latency  
  10. Visual field preferences 

Manifestations of CVI (Lueck, Chen, Hartman, 2021)

  1. Clarity of vision 
  2. Area of vision 
  3. Following people or objects visually affected by eye movement limitations or visual field restrictions 
  4. Locating people or objects visually/visual search capabilities 
  5. Response to faces 
  6. Recognition of objects or symbols 
  7. Response to movement 
  8. Accuracy of visual motor planning & control 
  9. Imitation and copying 
  10. Color 
  11. Depth perception 
  12. Illumination 
  13. Response to sounds 
  14. Response to environments 
  15. Effects of visual novelty 
  16. Response time

Resources

CVI Assessment Resources
Websites on CVI
CVI Books and Publications
PaTTAN Trainings on CVI
e-Learning Opportunities on CVI
  • Perkins e-learning (Filter by topic: CVI) 
  • APH Hive (Search by title: CVI or Search by subject Tag; Cerebral Visual Impairment) 
Position Papers on CVI

CVI is a brain-based visual impairment that is due to an injury to the brain. Students with CVI can also have eye-based conditions and/or eye-motor disorders that exist alongside their CVI.  

For some students with CVI, vision gets better over time, but this is not the case for all. Each student is unique and even with educational intervention, there is no guarantee that their visual performance will improve.  However, interventions based on the visual behaviors seen in students with, or suspected of having CVI, can help maximize their functional vision. Additional skills and supports such as braille and assistive technology should be considered for each student. Many interventions can be implemented and supported by a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments in collaboration with the rest of the educational team. 

Although the National Institute of Health is currently focusing on streamlining information around CVI, there is as of yet no standard common language in use for this condition. Therefore, some assessments and information might refer to CVI visual behaviors, others to Characteristics of CVI, and yet others to Manifestations of CVI. Although different terminology is used, the same common visual aspects of CVI are addressed by all.

Students with CVI have unique learning needs that differ in complexity from students with only an eye-based visual impairment. Students who have been diagnosed by a medical professional or are suspected of having CVI must be assessed by a TVI with a functional vision assessment that includes testing in the visual areas of CVI as part of the educational evaluation process.

For more information about CVI refer to the resource Cortical/Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) developed by The Pennsylvania Advisory Committee on Education of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired (PACES – BVI). This resource relates to preferred Pennsylvania practices and provision of services by appropriately credentialed professionals for students with visual impairments.