Prepared for MAER 4/26/2012
Spatial perception is understanding the space we need to move through or manipulate objects within
Vision is the deriving of meaning and direction of action as triggered by light
Vision is the primary human spatial processing sense
So what if?• You can’t see? • OR Can’t see like you used to?
Your visual attention may be the key!
Sight• Sight loss (eyeball and eyeball wiring hardware)
is rarely total
Vision Vision loss is never total that I know of
We can have vision without eyesight • As many in attendance can attest to we see
through our eyes (eyesight) with our brain (vision) Mobility work depends on spatial processing (vision)
in the brain not the eyes Thinking in pictures (Visual thinking)
Development• Most are born seeing, but don’t understand
what we see (vision)• Vision is learned
Learned by bumping into reality with our sensory systems (with mouthing, touch, hearing proprioception and movement)
Learned by figuring out the patterns of reality well enough to even anticipate
It is the last sensory system to fully mature Complex environmental interactions or movement
experiences are needed Movement is essential to spatial perception
And visual development Therefore Vestibular and Cerebellar function is
important as well When working well vision leads and guides,
when not it interferes (John Streff OD)
When mature it can substitute for the sensory systems that helped it’s development Vision has been said to be hands extended
• Amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (wandering eye), and learning related vision problems are a lack of full visual development not usually a loss of anything Lack of development Truly successful cures require addressing
improper development• Most nearsightedness, astigmatism and
farsightedness can also be viewed in a developmental light.
Congenital (Never had) and acquired (had and lost)
Loss of eyesight is not the loss of vision
But, vision without eyesight is not the same
“Not the same” is the key issue
Change is never easy for anyone at almost any time
What has changed with the loss of eyesight (hardware) is how you now will use vision with limited or different eyesight as a part of the visual process (software)
The role of automaticity or habituation
Even with full visual capacity you cannot attend to everything all the time!
Also true for hearing, smelling and feeling (shoes?)
Selective attention is an important component of successful spatial processing
Changes to visual attention and how we use eyesight in visual spatial processing is what changes and needs to be addressed
A visual cure is making vision function like it used to
Many losses of eyesight have no cure, but vision is still present
It is not bad or unusual to look/hope for cures
It is not always realistic to expect cures for many loss of sight conditions at least in the immediate future
Hope to improve visual function with rehabilitation is more realistic and attainable
Getting used to changing the way you use vision is the key • Silverware drawer example• Practice over time• Effort/habituation/ease of use
Decreasing effort is the way to reduce eye strain (asthenopia)
Trying to use old software with changed (new) hardware is stressful and tiring
Learning to use what is left (pieces of eyesight, visual memory and spatial vision) with the least amount of effort is very important
Part of any visual rehabilitation
Two approaches:• 1) Limiting visual loss due to misuse or
nonuse is important Ex. peripheral vision
• Circling the wagons Self limitation
• Lots of research on visual field (attention) restoration!
• 2) Learning to re-write software There is no substitute for hardware loss in any
sensory system There is a lot of brain plasticity research out
there that tells us making new software to run different hardware is possible at any age
Doesn’t it make sense to use all of our sensory systems to rebuild dormant software or build new software just like our vision developed to start with
Look Hard Look Soft procedure• Ease eyestrain
Visual imagery/memory practice• What you remember things to look like• Visual closure-filling in the missing pieces• Visual anticipation
If you think you can or you think you can’t you are probably right! Henry Ford “The Secret”
Hope and faith are important Learning is having the correct
experience at the correct time Expert guidance increases the odds new
software can be developed Acceptance of loss and getting support
• Psychology of loss• Support groups• Local Rehabilitation Team
Loss of eyesight can cause one to feel unlucky, frustrated, anxious and/or depressed
There are no cures out there for many eyesight conditions
But there may be many rehabilitation treatments that are possible
For those with eyesight or visual loss:• You can do something!• It is your choice• It is your software and attention and only
you can change it• You are in charge of how you choose to use
your eyes and your visual process
For the rehabilitation team:• You are responsible for keeping abreast of
new science, new development in your field• You need to learn how others learn in order
to use your knowledge about your field of expertise in a positive way
• You are responsible to use everything you know to help your patients improve the quality of life with eyesight or visual loss
Rehabilitation is a process not a destination
Thank you for your attention today
Questions?
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