CVI glossary

The condition

CVI

Cortical, or cerebral, visual impairment. A vision problem that starts in the brain, not the eyes. Both names mean the same thing in everyday use.

Cortical vs. cerebral

“Cortical” is the older US term. Many doctors now say “cerebral” because the cause can be in the brain’s deeper wiring, not only its outer layer (the cortex). You’ll see both. Don’t let it throw you.

Visual acuity

How sharp vision is, measured with an eye chart. A kid with CVI can have good acuity and still struggle to see.

Visual field

Everything you can see without moving your eyes. Many kids with CVI are missing part of it, often the lower part, so steps, curbs and things on the floor disappear.

Visual clutter (or crowding)

When there’s so much to look at that nothing stands out. A busy worksheet, a packed toy bin, a wall covered in posters.

Simultanagnosia

A hard word for a simple idea: seeing one thing at a time. The child takes in one piece of a scene and the rest drops away.

Visual latency (or response interval)

The delay between something appearing and your child noticing it or knowing what it is. This is why waiting helps.

Visual fatigue

Seeing takes a kid with CVI real effort, so vision tires out over the day. Afternoon is often harder than morning.

Dorsal and ventral streams

Two pathways in the brain. The dorsal stream handles “where” and movement. The ventral stream handles “what”: recognizing faces and objects. You’ll hear these from specialists who follow Gordon Dutton’s work.

PVL

Periventricular leukomalacia. Damage to the brain’s white matter (its wiring), most common in babies born early. One of the common causes of CVI.

HIE

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. A brain injury from too little oxygen or blood flow, usually around birth. Another common cause of CVI.

The people

TVI

Teacher of the visually impaired. Also written TSVI, or QTVI in the UK. A teacher trained to work with kids who have vision loss. This is usually the most important person on your child’s school team.

O&M specialist

Orientation and mobility specialist. They teach kids to move around safely: hallways, stairs, curbs, crossing streets, sometimes a white cane.

Pediatric ophthalmologist

A medical eye doctor for children. They check the health of the eyes.

Neuro-ophthalmologist

A doctor who specializes in vision problems that come from the brain and nerves. Often involved in diagnosing CVI.

Optometrist

An eye-care professional who tests vision and prescribes glasses. Some run low-vision clinics.

The assessments

FVA

Functional vision assessment. A TVI watches how your child actually uses their vision in daily life, not on an eye chart. If your child doesn’t have one, ask for one.

LMA

Learning media assessment. Works out how your child learns best: regular print, large print, objects, audio, braille, or a mix.

The CVI Range

An assessment created by Christine Roman-Lantzy. It scores ten visual characteristics and places a child in Phase I, II or III. Each phase points to different kinds of support.

The Perkins CVI Protocol

An assessment from Perkins School for the Blind. It looks at 16 visual behaviors. Different tool, same goal: understanding how your child sees.

School plans (United States)

IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that gives kids with disabilities the right to special education. Visual impairment is one of its categories.

Early intervention

Free services for babies and toddlers (birth to age 3) with delays or disabilities, under IDEA. You don’t need a doctor’s referral to ask for an evaluation.

IFSP

Individualized Family Service Plan. The written plan for early intervention, before age 3.

IEP

Individualized Education Program. Your child’s written school plan from age 3: goals, services, and supports. You are a member of the team that writes it.

504 plan

A plan for accommodations (changes to how your child accesses school) without special instruction. Lighter than an IEP.

Accommodations vs. modifications

An accommodation changes how your child learns the same material: more time, less clutter, one problem per page. A modification changes what they’re expected to learn.

ECC

Expanded core curriculum. The extra skills taught to students with visual impairments: getting around, using technology, speaking up for what they need.

Prior written notice

The school’s written explanation of something it plans to do, or refuses to do, and why. You can ask for it.

IEE

Independent educational evaluation. If you disagree with the school’s evaluation, you can ask for one done by someone outside the school.

Parent Training and Information Center

Every US state has one, funded by the federal government. They help families with special education for free. Worth a call when you’re stuck.

A term to be careful with

Vision therapy

In the US this usually means eye-exercise programs run by optometrists. Pediatric eye doctors say behavioral vision therapy hasn’t been proven to work, and it isn’t what kids with CVI are usually given. What helps is support from a TVI and an O&M specialist.