CVI Screening Tool Promotes Early Identification

Authors: Hillary Keys, Early Childhood Deafblind Consultant, Outreach Program, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, TSBVI

Prevalence of CVI

Data from national and state databases highlight the pervasiveness of CVI. According to the Babies Count database, a national registry that collects epidemiological data on visually impaired infants and toddlers in approximately 25 states, nearly one-third (32%) of infants identified as blind, deafblind, or having low vision in the 2022-2023 survey had CVI.

In Texas, the Student Data Program collects similar information via the Registration of Students in Texas with Visual Impairment (commonly referred to as the VI Registration) and the Texas Deafblind Child Count. The 2025 data identified CVI as the primary visual diagnosis in 28% of children from birth to 36 months who were included on the VI Registration. No other vision conditions were as prevalent in this age group.

Importance of Early Identification

Early identification and intervention for CVI are crucial due to the brain’s neuroplasticity, which is at its peak during the first two years of life (Yin et al., 2019) and continues its rapid development for several more years. It is generally accepted that about 80% of our learning and information about the world comes through our visual sense. Children who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision, including those with CVI, are at a higher risk for developmental delays in areas such as motor skills, communication, cognition, and social interaction.

As Roman-Lantzy (2018) notes, appropriate interventions and environmental adaptations can significantly improve visual abilities in babies with CVI. A 2021 clinical study by Fazzi et al. further demonstrated this, showing that infants with CVI who received visual training and environmental adaptations had greater improvements in visual function compared to a control group of infants with ocular visual impairment.

The message here is clear. Early intervention and environmental adaptation improve outcomes for infants with CVI. However, children are often not diagnosed until after the important period of maximum neuroplasticity has passed. Early screening and identification with a tool like the NAVEG can make a profound, positive impact on the lives of these children and their families.

Simple and Effective Screening Tool

The NAVEG is a validated CVI screening tool for infants from newborn to 12 months. Developed between 2011 and 2014 by a research group within the Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Brescia, Italy, the NAVEG is a non-invasive and easily administered assessment (Rossi, A., 2017).

The Anchor Center in Colorado was an early adopter of the NAVEG and collaborated with The Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children to “determine whether the NAVEG Screening Instrument can indicate the presence of CVI in premature newborns who are especially at risk for brain-based impairment” (Smyth, n.d.). The Anchor Center trains healthcare and intervention professionals in Colorado and several other states to use the NAVEG.

The screening is simple enough that it doesn’t require a vision professional to administer it; training and access to the materials are all that’s needed. It’s divided into three categories: ocular visual, motor visual, and perceptual. The assessment includes both observational and interactive components. A score of six or higher indicates a potential for CVI, and the child should be referred to an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The screening is designed so that a score of six can be reached before the assessment is even complete, simplifying the process further.

Training Options

In the summer of 2024, four individuals associated with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) Outreach Program—Hillary Keys, Emily Leeper, Lynne McAlister, and Diane Sheline—received training from the Anchor Center to become trainers. They are now prepared to train others in Texas, including early intervention providers, vision professionals, and medical professionals, on how to use the NAVEG screening tool in their communities. For more information, please request a consultation or training. 

Also, check out a short informational video introducing the NAVEG.