Visual Perception Dysfunction

What is a Visual Processing Problem?

The ability to analyze and interpret visual input is sometimes referred to as visual processing or visual perceptual skills. Just because a child can see clearly and comfortably does not guarantee that the brain will be able to make use of the incoming information. Visual processing can be broken down into several areas including:

Laterality and directionality
Visual form perception
Visual memory
Visual motor integration

These skills are important when a child is young and is learning letter and number recognition, reading and early math skills. We believe that visual processing skills develop in most children without the need for any special attention or intervention. However, in some children the development of visual processing skills does not keep pace with the child's growth in other areas. This type of lag can lead to difficulty in the early grades in school.

What types of Visual Processing problems can occur?

When a child has developmental lags in the area of visual processing it can result in variety of problems including:

Deficiencies in the area of visual motor integration skills may make handwriting more difficult resulting in poor spacing, inability to stay on the line, and excessive erasures. The child's ability to complete written work within an allotted period of time may also be affected.
Dysfunctions in visual memory may cause prolonged time copying assignments, difficulty recognizing the same word on the next page, and difficulty retaining what is seen or read.
Confusion in the area of directionality may result in reversals of forms, letters such as "b" and "d" and words such as "on" and "no" and "was" and "saw". Directionality also allows a person to differentiate between left and right. Laterality is the ability to differentiate between another person’s left and right.
Visual form perception and discrimination problems may result in his confusing similar beginnings, endings, and even entire words.

How Are Visual Processing Problems Treated?

Eyeglasses cannot be used to treat visual processing problems. Rather, visual processing skills that are found to be deficient can be trained with a vision therapy program.

Will Vision Therapy Alone Eliminate the Child’s Learning Problems?

Improvements in visual processing should not be expected to directly improve school or reading performance. However, these deficiencies can often be barriers to effective learning. Therefore, improvements in these visual skills can result in better learning efficiency and concentration and better enable the child to benefit from standard or remedial education. In almost all cases the child will require tutoring to overco me reading, math or other academic problems. The combination of vision therapy and tutoring will often lead to the best overall result.

Adapted from Vision Therapy Manual, Mitchell Sheiman, 1992

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