An assessment takes about an hour and assesses the way the visual system reacts to different types of stimulus. (E.g. daylight, school lights) Vision is learnt, and although we all have the same basic visual system, we do not have the same experiences and therefore everyones visual processing is different.

The image we see may be interpreted in many ways, sometimes in ways that may be inaccurate or disturbing. It may be affected or affect other sensory systems, and from this it may be difficult to integrate what we see with our other senses. Sometimes coping with this can be extremely unpleasant, and may lead to severe anxiety and social and communication problems.

It is extremely important that parents do not assume that they know what their child can see -it may be very different and criticism and denial may lead to further problems.

This is particularly important area in special needs, ASD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalulia, school underachievement – most have some visual processing problems – often profound. It is not an eye test but is additional and complementary to standard optometric care. Control of the visual stimulus is often central to controlling the problem.

Orthoscopic assessments are carried out by Grainne Maguire FBDO

Grainne qualified as a dispensing Optician in 1999.  She has a special interest in Paediatric dispensing. (Fitting children’s spectacles) It was this interest that led her to coloured lenses and their effect on the visual system. Grainne studied Orthoscopics with its clinical director Ian Jordan FBDO. (www.jordanseyes.com) from 2004 and brought the system to Southern Ireland in 2008. Now in 2012 Grainne is carrying out orthoscopic assessements at Sensational Kids.