Starfish Therapies

A pediatric therapy company operating in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. We provide physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy services in the most beneficial and convenient setting for you and your child, including our clinic, currently located in Burlingame, your home, school or daycare.

  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • FAQ
  • Our Services
    • Motor Smart Kids
    • Continuing Education
    • FREE Resources
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Corona Virus (Covid-19) Response / Move to Telehealth

Eye See: Visual Perceptual vs Eyesight

January 8, 2014 by Stacy Menz

puzzle

Occupational therapists are frequently asked what the difference between visual perception and eyesight is. Vision plays a significant role in the way we interact with our environment and how we learn.

Visual acuity refers to how clearly a person sees. Vision is more than just eye sight and how clearly we see. A person can have “20/20” vision but also have difficulty with visual perceptual skills.

Visual perception refers to the brains ability to make sense of what the eyes see. All of the body’s sensory experiences contribute to visual perception including sight, sound, touch, smell, balance, movement and muscle control contribute to visual perception. Visual perception is important for many different school tasks including reading, writing, cutting, copying from the board, visualizing past experiences, giving/getting directions, navigating the playground, and eye-hand coordination. The sub-areas of visual perception include the following:

 

Visual discrimination: The ability to see differences and similarities in shapes, patterns and objects.

Form Constancy Perception: The ability to identify, sort and name the same objects, shapes and symbols despite differences in their size, shading, texture and/or position.

Figure Ground Perception: The ability to distinguish an object/word/letter/number from a busy background. It requires the eyes to focus on and identify specific objects/words/letters/numbers between others.

Position in Space Perception: The ability to understand and perceive the position of an object in relation to one’s own body.

Spatial Relationships Perception: The ability to perceive the position of two or more objects in relation to oneself and to each other. It includes the ability to identify left and right on one’s own body and apply it to objects.

Visual Closure Perception: The ability to identify an object, shape or symbol from an incomplete presentation.

Visual Memory: The ability to recall or reproduce a number/letter/object/figure that has previously been seen for a short period of time i.e. to remember what has been seen.

Occupational Therapists frequently work on visual perceptual skills to facilitate improved visual motor and fine motor skills. Activities to promote improved visual perceptual skills include puzzles, finding hidden pictures, Where’s Waldo, “I SPY” (figure ground), bingo (visual scanning), memory card game ( visual memory and matching), and block design duplication (visual-spatial relations).  Visual perception plays an important role in how a child learns and interprets his or her environment.

Related

Filed Under: Developmental Milestones Tagged With: kids, occupational therapy, visual perceptual

Search

Subscribe To Our Emails

Subscribe and receive access to our FREE products, incredible list of pdfs, websites, readings, and many other useful recommendations!

Primary Programs

  • Motor Smart Kids
    • Free Play
    • Kids Action Hour
    • Yoga for Kids of All Abilities
    • Functional Movement Screen
    • Video Running Analysis
    • Youth Sports Injury Prevention
    • Concussion Screening and Management
  • Continuing Education
    • PNF 1: Introduction to PNF
    • PNF 2: Accessing the Trunk
    • Strength Training in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
  • Resources
    • Telehealth
    • Informational Handouts
    • Useful Websites
    • Recommended Readings
    • Helpful Products
    • Blogs to Follow
    • Favorite Therapy Products at amazon.com

What Clients Are Saying

“Our experience with Stacy and the team at Starfish Therapies has been fantastic. The group is incredibly passionate, very professional, and know how to make therapy fun for a child! Our daughter looks forward to her session — whether it’s in-person or via the convenient tele-health option. The intake process is comprehensive and involves collaborative goal-setting with quantifiable measures and milestones. In addition, we get a list of activities we can work on at home, which has become part of our daily routine! We’ve seen big gains in our daughter’s movements, balance and confidence. Thank you, Starfish Therapies!”

Recent Blog Posts

  • Occupational Therapy Round-Up
  • Should I Be Concerned?
  • Dr. Seuss Books and Activities
  • More Ideas for Catching
  • Book Inspired Activities

Disclaimers

  • Full Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • HIPAA Patient Notice
  • Accessibility Statement

Search

Patient Resources

  • New Patient Intake Forms
  • Starfish Resources
  • Our Services

Clinical Resources

  • Career Opportunties
  • Continuing Education

Contact

  (650) 638-9142
  (650) 638-9141
  admin@starfishtherapies.com

Join Our Online Community

Location

BURLINGAME
  1541 Old Bayshore Highway
  Burlingame, CA 94010

© Copyright 2023 Starfish Therapies · All Rights Reserved · Powered by babaLucas