Why might PVL lead to Visual Impairment?
The periventricular areas of the brain help carry visual information from the eyes to the special vision parts of the brain. Scarring in this area can slow or block passage of information. Children with PVL may then have difficulties understanding what visual information means. This can lead to a type of visual impairment known as Cortical (or Cerebral) Visual Impairment. What is Cortical Visual Impairment? Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) is a condition where some of the special ‘vision’ parts of the brain and its connections are damaged. This causes visual impairment even though the eyes are usually normal and probably working. Often children with CVI actually have good visual acuity but can not ‘make sense’ of what they see. In most cases, once the damage has happened it does not get worse. As children grow older the visual difficulties they experience may slowly improve. Is Cortical Visual Impaiment known by any other name? Yes. CVI is sometimes called Cortical Visual Impairment, C
