How Perceptual Therapy Impacts a Child’s Daily Work

Rupali Singh, B. Optom

Clinical Binocular Vision and CVI Optometrist, Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi, India

 

Visual perceptual skills training is a method aimed at instructing the brain in interpreting information received from the eyes. This involves organising and making sense of visual stimuli, as the eyes continuously transmit substantial data for rapid processing. ⁽¹⁾

The seven core elements of visual perceptual skills encompass:

• Visual memory
• Visual sequential memory
• Visual form constancy
• Visual figure-ground
• Visual spatial relations
• Visual closure
• Visual discrimination

Visual perception aims to tackle difficulties in visual processing, impacting motor skills, visual-motor integration, reading, writing, handwriting, critical thinking, and -cognitive skills delay. ⁽¹⁾

Visual perception skills testing involves several steps:

Occupational Therapy Screening: Observational screening of visual attention, memory, and discrimination skills.

Assessment and Evaluation: Utilising standardised tests tailored to the child’s age, such as TEA-CH, Rey Figure, TVPS, DTVP-3, and Lexplore with eye-tracking technology. Individualised therapy plan: Based on evaluation results and individual needs, a personalised intervention plan targets sensory input, processing, output, and feedback.
Intervention and follow-up: Focused on sensory visual processing, eye movement therapy, and visual perception activities, employing evidence-based methods and techniques. ⁽²⁾

Therapies involved include:

• Sensory visual processing: Incorporating Snoezelen therapy and virtual therapy.
• Saccades and pursuit visual exercises.
• Eye movement therapy: Utilising eye tracking and eye scanning methods to promote eye movement strategies and positional awareness. ⁽³⁾
  
• Visual perception awareness: Utilising bottom-up and top-down approaches to address perception challenges and enhance overall visual processing. ( Figure1)
• Visual perceptual therapy improves eye teaming, eye-hand coordination, and cognitive skills and colour perception in patients. (Figure2)

Figure 1: Shows Eye hand coordination, contrast perception

Figure 2: shows Cognitive skill development- colour and shape recognition
Images used have been taken from Dr Shroff Charity Eye Hospital with proper consent from the patient.

Therapies for CVI patients focus on:

• Orientation
• Eye-hand coordination
• Object observation
• Learning compensatory strategies

Additional strategies encompass concept development, adapting print materials, organisational skills, and executive function development related to visual perceptions. ⁽³⁾
Optometrists play a significant role in perceptual training, providing comprehensive care to patients through an interdisciplinary approach. Office-based exercises facilitate socialisation with optometrists while improving perceptual skills, thus enhancing the quality of life for individuals.
Through guidance and progress tracking, optometrists aid patients in interpreting and responding to visual stimuli, leading to improved daily functioning and overall quality of life. This may involve activities such as reading and writing training, fine motor skill development, and cognitive skill enhancement, all contributing to enriching individuals’ day-to-day experiences. ⁽⁴⁾

 

References:

1. Cunningham, S. A., & Reagan, C. L. (1972). Handbook of Visual Perceptual Training.
2. Hallahan, D. P., & Mercer, C. D. (2001). Educational programming: Dominance of psychological processing and visual perceptual training. Learning Disabilities: Historical Perspectives. Learning Disabilities Summit: Building a Foundation for the Future White Papers. Nashville, TN: National Research Center for Learning Disabilities.
3. Zhang, X., Manley, C. E., Micheletti, S., Tesic, I., Bennett, C. R., Fazzi, E. M., & Merabet, L. B. (2022). Assessing visuospatial processing in cerebral visual impairment using a novel and naturalistic static visual search task. Research in developmental disabilities, 131, 104364.
4. Itzhak, N. B., Franki, I., Jansen, B., Kostkova, K., Wagemans, J., & Ortibus, E. (2021). International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction.