Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) is a condition where the brain's visual processing centers are affected, leading to vision loss that is not due to problems with the eyes themselves.
Fedorov Restoration Therapy is a treatment approach that has shown promise in helping children with CVI by enhancing the functionality of preserved visual pathways. Here's how this therapy can support children with CVI:
Purpose and Mechanism of Fedorov Restoration Therapy
Parents of children with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) often struggle to find effective ways to improve their child’s vision. CVI is unique because the eyes may be structurally healthy, but the brain has difficulty processing visual information. Many parents describe challenges such as poor eye contact, difficulty recognizing faces, trouble tracking moving objects, sensitivity to light, and an overall lack of visual awareness.
• Improved Eye Contact & Awareness – Many children with CVI struggle to look directly at faces or objects. After therapy, some children show increased attention to people’s faces, toys, and high-contrast objects, helping with social interaction.
• Better Object Recognition – Parents often notice that their child has difficulty distinguishing between similar objects or recognizing everyday items. The therapy may help improve visual clarity, contrast sensitivity, and the ability to identify objects more quickly.
• Increased Tracking of Moving Objects – Some children with CVI have trouble following motion, making activities like catching a ball or watching a moving toy difficult. The therapy may help the child track objects more smoothly, improving interaction with their environment.
• Enhanced Contrast Sensitivity – Many children with CVI see better when objects have high contrast, such as a white spoon on a black plate. The therapy may increase sensitivity to contrast, making it easier for children to distinguish shapes and objects.
• Reduced Light Sensitivity & Glare – Bright lights or sudden changes in lighting can be overwhelming for children with CVI. Some families report that after therapy, their child becomes less sensitive to bright environments and adjusts better to different lighting conditions.
• Expanded Functional Visual Field – Some children with CVI have “blind zones” where they don’t notice objects in certain areas. If their brain begins processing visual information more efficiently, they may gain better awareness of their surroundings.
While every child’s response is different, parents should have realistic expectations. CVI is a brain-based condition, and therapy does not “cure” it. However, by stimulating the brain’s visual centers, some children experience functional improvements, making daily activities easier and enhancing their ability to connect with the world around them.
Below, we share the inspiring story of Reggie, a young boy with CVI whose vision improved after undergoing Fedorov Restoration Therapy. His journey provides hope for families seeking innovative ways to enhance their child’s visual abilities.
Before therapy, Reggie struggled with recognizing faces, reading numbers and letters, and engaging with his environment. Like many children with CVI, his visual processing challenges made everyday activities difficult, limiting his ability to navigate the world independently. After undergoing Fedorov Restoration Therapy, Reggie experienced significant improvements in his vision. He began to recognize familiar faces without help, read numbers and letters, and enjoy watching football and playing games on his iPad. These changes not only enhanced his visual function but also boosted his confidence and independence, allowing him to participate more actively in daily life.
Reggie’s story highlights the potential benefits of Fedorov Restoration Therapy for children with CVI, particularly in improving visual awareness, recognition skills, and engagement with their surroundings. While every child’s response to treatment varies, Reggie’s case offers hope to families searching for ways to help their children see and experience the world more clearly.
To read more about Reggie’s inspiring journey and how Fedorov Restoration Therapy helped him, visit this page.
The effects of Fedorov Restoration Therapy tend to be long-lasting, but the degree of stability varies depending on the underlying condition. Improvements in contrast sensitivity, visual attention, and fixation are often seen, but long-term results depend on ongoing visual training and neuroplasticity. The therapy does not regenerate damaged optic nerves but enhances the functionality of preserved pathways, meaning improvements are expected to be stable if visual stimulation continues through structured therapy.
Most children show early signs of improvement within the first few weeks to months after therapy, particularly in visual awareness, response to contrast, and attention to stimuli. However, given that cortical processing deficits play a major role in CVI, the timeline may be slower and require additional support. Some children respond within a few sessions, while others may need several months of structured therapy and training.
A single treatment cycle consists of 12 sessions over two weeks. However, based on the child’s response, a follow-up cycle may be recommended after 6-12 months. For children with CVI and optic atrophy, multiple cycles may be needed over time to support ongoing neuroplastic changes.
The recommended frequency varies by patient, but for children with CVI and optic atrophy, therapy is often repeated every 6-12 months if there is clear functional improvement after the first cycle. Further gains are expected based on objective visual function tests, and the child is responding well to vision therapy and sensory integration training.
The primary goal of Fedorov Restoration Therapy is to enhance the function of preserved retinal and optic nerve pathways by applying weak electrical currents to stimulate visual structures. It aims to increase visual responsiveness, improve fixation stability, enhance visual signal transmission, and reduce cortical suppression.
The therapy does not regenerate optic nerves but improves the function of preserved retinal cells and optic nerve fibers. If some functional pathways remain, therapy can increase their efficiency and transmission of visual signals. In CVI, the therapy may help by modulating cortical excitability, leading to better visual perception and response.
Several factors determine a child’s response to Fedorov Restoration Therapy, including:
Yes, parents should focus on:
Yes. Fedorov Restoration Therapy is most effective when combined with structured vision therapy. The child will need targeted eye-gaze training, contrast-based exercises, and fixation tasks to reinforce improvements. Physical and occupational therapy will help integrate visual-motor coordination.
Fedorov Restoration Therapy is unique in that it uses electrical stimulation to enhance the function of preserved visual pathways and has been scientifically validated. It targets functional vision improvement rather than structural regeneration. Compared to other therapies, it differs in its approach and effectiveness.
In conclusion, Fedorov Restoration Therapy offers a promising approach for children with CVI by enhancing existing visual pathways and supporting long-term visual improvements when combined with structured rehabilitation.