Vision is one of our five senses.<\/em><\/strong> Being able to see gives us tremendous access to learning about the world around us\u2014people\u2019s faces and the subtleties of expression, what different things look like and how big they are, and the physical environments where we live and move, including approaching hazards.<\/p>\n When a child has a visual impairment, it is cause for immediate attention. That\u2019s because so much learning typically occurs visually<\/em>. When vision loss goes undetected, children are delayed in developing a wide range of skills. While they can do virtually all the activities and tasks that sighted children take for granted, children who are visually impaired often need to learn to do them in a different way or using different tools or materials. (2<\/a>) Central to their learning will be touching, listening, smelling, tasting, moving, and using whatever vision they have. (3<\/a>) The assistance of parents, family members, friends, caregivers, and educators can be indispensable in that process. More will be said about this in a moment.<\/p>\n Not all visual impairments are the same, although the umbrella term \u201cvisual impairment\u201d may be used to describe generally the consequence<\/em> of an eye condition or disorder.<\/p>\n The eye has different parts that work together to create our ability to see. When a part of the eye doesn\u2019t work right or communicate well with the brain, vision is impaired.<\/p>\n To understand the particular visual impairment a child has, it\u2019s helpful to understand the anatomy of the eye and the functions of its different parts. Rather than go into those details here, in this general fact sheet, we\u2019re pleased to refer you to the experts for easy-to-understand explanations and diagrams of the visual system.<\/p>\nTypes of Visual Impairment:<\/h2>\n