Visual Information Processing Skills

VIP Skills

Behavioural Optometry Menu

Has your child developed the appropriate Visual Information Processing (VIP) skills for their age & grade?

Our comprehensive VIP Assessment includes administration of tests to investigate some or all of the following aspects of perceptual development.

In the main, wherever possible, standardised tests are used in which the results can be compared to norms for chronological age or Grade level. Skills tested may include the following:

Visual-motor integration:
ability to coordinate the visual information processing and motor systems of the body, and to have an awareness of the eye leading the body in these coordinated activities.
Visual-auditory integration:
ability to match auditory and visual stimuli, and coordinate them into a meaningful product.
Visual form and size constancy:
ability to recognise that the visual information in a form is consistent, regardless of object or retinal image size, location or orientation.
Visual figure-ground:
ability to attend to a specific feature or form while maintaining an awareness of the relationship of the form to the less relevant background information.
Visual speed and span of perception:
rate and volume of information handled in visual processing.
Visualisation:
ability to recall an image of what has been seen and the ability to mentally manipulate and change aspects of that image.
Visual sequential memory:
abilty to recall a sequence of objects, letters, words, or symbols in the same order as originally seen.
Visual spatial memory:
ability to recall the spatial location of stimuli or to recall, identify, or reproduce a design or a dominant feature of a stimulus.
Visual closure:
ability of the individual to be aware of clus in a visual presentation that allow him to determine the final product without having all parts of the stimulus present.
Laterality:
ability to be internally aware of and identify the right and left sides of the body on oneself.
Directionality:
ability to interpret and project the concepts of "left" and "right" into space and onto other objects.
Bilateral integration:
ability to be aware of and use both sides of the body separately and simultaneously.

How long does VIP testing take?

The VIP assessment comprises 2 visits*.

1. The first visit lasts between 45 to 90 minutes depending on the child's age and development.

2. The second visit is scheduled around 1 to 2 weeks later in order to give the optometrist time to score the tests and prepare a detailed report. This visit covers delivery and discussion of the results of the assessment with the parent/s or guardian. In the case of primary school children, it is usually not necessary for the child to attend this second visit.

*Where patients come to see us from a considerable distance we complete the assessment and give the results verbally at a single visit and forward the written report by mail or email around 1 to 2 weeks after the assessment.

How much does VIP testing cost?

The cost of a VIP assessment (including both visits and a written report) is billed as a single fee and is not covered by Medicare or private health funds.

Please feel free to ask our staff about the current costs of VIP assessment.