visual information processing

Visual Information Processing Testing

We may schedule another appointment for a visual information processing assessment. This test takes approximately one hour. After the assessment the Optometrist will compare your child's results with the level of performance expected for their age and write a detailed report for you and your child's teacher.

During the test, your child is asked to complete a series of individual tasks in the following areas: eye movement skills, visual spatial skills, visual memory, visual analysis, visual motor integration, auditory skills.

Visual Memory

These skills allow a child to immediately recognise a word. Children with poor visual memory will often act as if it is the first time they have come across a word, even if they have come into contact with the word hundreds of times before!

Eye Movement Skills

Needed in order to concentrate on a page, copy from the board and read fluently. They also assist general co-ordination.

Visual Spatial Skills

Good visual spatial skills start with a child's awareness of their own sidedness, progress to their awareness of external objects and finally to the printed page. Without this knowledge children will often reverse letters, numbers and words and show poor organisation.

Visual Analysis

Allows a child to 'make sense' of visually presented information. Without this ability children will struggle to appreciate subtle differences between letters, numbers and words, which impairs comprehension.

Visual Motor Integration

Handwriting requires a child make a mental plan of the letters and words (utilities visual analysis skills) then uses fine motor skills (pen control) to execute this plan. Children with poor visual motor integration will tend to have slow or messy handwriting or poor page organisation.

Auditory Skills

Although not a focus of our testing, it is important to get a baseline measurement to obtain an overall picture of your child's learning style. Good auditory skills allow for a child to sound out unfamiliar words, retain verbal information and understand information sequencing. This helps with reading, writing, mathematical and musical ability.

If the testing reveals any areas needing improvement, you and your child have the option to start a training program. At Young Eyes, we tailor programs for each individual case.

If your child’s assessment shows a specific area of weakness not related to their vision we will refer them to another health professional in this area. We work extensively with the occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists at Community Health to give your child the best possible results in their learning.