Prepared for MAER 04/25/13
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
So what if you can’t see? OR Can’t see like you used to?
Understanding Visual attention may be helpful!
Sight Vision We can have vision without eyesight
• As many in attendance can attest• Mobility work depends on spatial processing
in the brain not the eyes• Thinking in pictures (Visual thinking)
Sight loss (eyeball and eyeball wiring hardware) is rarely total
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 • Vision is hands extended• Amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus
(wandering eye), and learning related vision problems are a lack of development
Congenital 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 use eyesight as a part of the visual process
Even with full visual capacity you cannot attend to everything all the time!
Even true for hearing, smelling and feeling (shoes?)
Selective attention is an important concept
Changes to visual attention and how we use visual spatial processing is what is happening
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 in the immediate future
Hope to improve function with rehabilitation is more realistic
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 for 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 MAER’s mission
Purpose of Vision quotes
Where am I? Where is it? What is it? Communication (Language) Plus How
• Motor Planning• Visual Thinking
Importance of Anticipation• By the time the brain gets visual
information it is history
Sue Barry • One cannot pretend to have binocularity by
closing an eye• RAH: One cannot pretend to have altered
eyesight by closing your eyes• Once you have vision it is always with you!
Maybe not eyesight Maybe not all of vision either
Work/learn to use what you have, Work/learn to develop/work around what
is missing
Two approaches:• Limiting visual loss due to misuse or nonuse
is important Ex. peripheral vision
Circling the wagons Self limitation Lots of research on visual field restoration
• 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!
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
(anticipating?) If you think you can or you think you
can’t you are probably right! H Ford Hope and faith are important Acceptance of loss and getting support
• MAER• Support groups
Eyesight loss can cause one to feel unlucky, frustrated, anxious and/or depressed
There are no cures out there for many eyesight conditions
There may be rehabilitation treatments
You can do something! It is your choice
It is your software and attention
You are in charge of how you choose to use them
Thank you for your attention today
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