Understanding the Austin Assessment results
If results indicate CVI may be present:
The Austin Assessment is a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool. If the result is positive (meaning they have met at least one threshold out of the six), it means the child may have a form of CVI affecting visual perception, explained in this video:​
To confirm CVI, a diagnosis from a skilled medical professional is required. The pathway to diagnosis varies by region, but typically involves:
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Taking the Austin Assessment report to your family doctor or pediatrician
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Getting a referral to a vision specialist
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Attending follow-up assessments to determine the specific nature of visual processing challenges
The app allows you to print or email your child's report, which includes valuable information to guide medical professionals in their assessment.
Check eyesight and eye health:
It is also important to ensure the child is up to date with eyesight tests and eye health checks. If not, it is recommend the child is reviewed as soon as possible. It is possible a positive result is due to unmet eye health needs or because the child needs spectacles, and these need to be ruled out. If issues due to the eyes are picked up, please wait for treatment to be completed, including prescriptions for glasses, and get the child to take the test again. If it is still positive, you can print off the report and take it to the vision specialist to show the result is outside of the normal range for children in their age group, as it could be the child has both unmet eye needs and CVI.
Supporting the child
If the Austin Assessment screening result is positive, the child may benefit from life transforming CVI specific support strategies. Our partner charity, the international CVI organisation CVI Scotland, has developed a free, do-it-yourself support programme called Pick & Mix, for all affected by CVI including where there is no medical diagnosis. In the programme, you pick the areas relevant to you and your child, where they may need help and support. These include help at home, being at school (both the social environment and school work), support with food and eating, transport, and more. Each area identifies tasks that the child or person with CVI might want to complete, or needs or desires that they have, and suggests ways to help them achieve those tasks or needs. If the support works, then the child is benefitting and that is what this is all about. To access the Pick & Mix programme, please click on the link below.
If results don't indicate CVI:
It may be that you suspect a child has CVI and the screening comes back negative. There is no single test that can 100% confirm or deny the presence of CVI. The Austin Assessment screens for a type of CVI affecting visual perception, as explained in the video above. Other forms of CVI can affect visual perception differently, meaning a child may have a form of CVI but a different one. Or their difficulties may be caused by something else. It can be very difficult to untangle the causes of difficulties and a highly skilled professional is needed.
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If the result is negative and you are still concerned about the child's vision, please seek further vision assessment with a skilled professional.