# CVI at home

> At home, the biggest wins are cheap. One thing at a time on a plain surface, the same place for everything, your name when you walk in, and time to look before you help. Below is a checklist for each part of the day, plus what to say instead of the things we all say without thinking.

Updated 2026-10-04. Canonical: https://cviexplained.com/at-home/

## Four rules for every room

- **One thing at a time.** Look, or listen, or reach. Pick one.
- **Same place, every time.** Then your child can find things by memory when seeing is hard.
- **Say who you are.** "Hi, it's Dad. I'm home."
- **Wait.** Count to ten in your head. Don't fill the silence.

Every kid with CVI is different. Try one change, watch what happens, keep what works.

## Meals

- [ ] Plain placemat or tray, one solid color that stands out from the plate.
- [ ] Only one or two things on it at a time, spaced apart.
- [ ] Same cup, same spot, every meal.
- [ ] TV off. Noise can make seeing harder.
- [ ] Say where things are: "Peas on the left. Your cup is by your right hand."

## Play

- [ ] Put most toys away. Leave out a few.
- [ ] Play on a plain blanket, not a patterned rug.
- [ ] Offer one toy at a time. Move it slowly to catch their eye, then hold it still and wait.
- [ ] Bright toys in one solid color may be easier to find than busy, many-colored ones.
- [ ] If your child looks, looks away, then reaches, that's fine. It's a strategy, not a mistake.
- [ ] Use sound and touch too: music, toys with texture.

## Getting dressed

- [ ] Lay clothes out flat on a plain bed or floor, in the order they go on.
- [ ] One item at a time.
- [ ] Shoes in the same spot by the door, every day.
- [ ] Name it and place it: "Your blue shirt is on the bed, by the pillow."

## Books and reading

- [ ] Real objects first. Flat pictures can be harder than real things.
- [ ] Simple books: one picture per page, plain background.
- [ ] Good light on the page. No bright window behind the book.
- [ ] Short sessions. Stop before your child is worn out.
- [ ] Let them listen with eyes closed or looking away. Listening only is allowed.

## Screens

- [ ] One thing on screen at a time. Rows of thumbnails are clutter too.
- [ ] Plain backgrounds and slow movement. Fast, busy cartoons can be hard to follow.
- [ ] A lit screen helps some kids see and wears others out. Watch for eye rubbing, turning away or meltdowns.
- [ ] Turn other noise down when the screen is on.

## Bedtime

- [ ] Expect the end of the day to be hardest. Seeing takes effort, and vision tires out.
- [ ] Same routine, same order, every night.
- [ ] Pajamas, cup and favorite toy in the same places every night.
- [ ] Clear path from bed to the bathroom. Night-light in the same spot.
- [ ] Don't ask your child to look at things now. Let vision rest. Use words and touch.

## Around the house

- [ ] Tell your child before you move furniture or their things.
- [ ] Bright tape on the edges of stairs. One quiet, plain spot for breaks.

## What to say instead

| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| "Look, it's right there." | "Your cup is next to your right hand." |
| "Look at me." | "It's Mom. I'm sitting on your left." |
| "You found it yesterday." | "You're tired today. Let's find it together." |
| Walking in without a word | "Hi, it's Dad. I'm home." |

When your child says they can't see it, believe them.

## Sources

- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Impact of Clutter](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-impact-of-clutter/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Impact of color](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-impact-of-color/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Response Interval](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-response-interval/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Sensory integration and its impact on vision](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-sensory-integration-and-its-impact-on-vision/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Impact of Motion](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-impact-of-motion/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, The science behind visual fatigue and CVI](https://www.perkins.org/the-science-behind-visual-fatigue-and-cvi/)
- [Dagbjört Andrésdóttir, CVI phrases, what not to say and what is better to say instead](https://dagbjortandresd.wixsite.com/livingwithcvi/post/cvi-phrases-what-not-to-say-to-someone-with-cvi-and-what-is-better-to-say-instead)

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CVI Explained gives general information. It is not medical or legal advice and it does not diagnose.