Blind Children’s Center Partners with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to Expand Care for Children With CVI

/in /by

Blind Children’s Center (BCC) is a partner in Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles’ (CHLA) recently launched Cerebral / Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) Multidisciplinary Clinic, providing functional vision assessments, early intervention services and other educational support to children with CVI and their parents. CVI is the leading cause of childhood blindness and low vision. The CVI Multidisciplinary Clinic is the first of its kind on the West Coast and is designed to help children and their parents better understand and navigate a CVI diagnosis.

CVI is a visual impairment caused by damage to the brain’s visual processing areas, rather than the eyes themselves. Most often, this damage occurs before or during birth due to lack of oxygen; it can also result from premature birth, genetic conditions or traumatic brain injury. Because a child’s eye may appear to be fully functional, CVI can be difficult to detect and is often misunderstood.

BCC board member and CHLA pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist Dr. Melinda Chang first shared her vision for the clinic with BCC Chief Executive Officer Sarah Orth during a tour of BCC’s programs. Dr. Chang, a leading CVI researcher, recognized the need for a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to CVI care.  

“It is the doctor’s role to concentrate on the medical diagnosis and treatment, but families need far more than clinical answers,” said Sarah. “That’s where BCC comes in, helping each family navigate their own unique journey.”

BCC Vision Services Coordinator Brenda Perla leads the clinic’s case management efforts, helping parents connect to essential resources and understand the next steps that follow the assessment results. “Our goal is to build bridges beyond vision loss,” said Brenda, emphasizing the need for long-term education, medical and community support for families.

BCC and CHLA staff have been trained by Dr. Christine Roman-Lantzy, developer of the CVI Range Assessment and director of the CVI support program at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh. In the clinic’s early months, she has provided guidance and feedback on the clinic’s functional vision assessments and adaptations for children with CVI.

“Our partnership with Blind Children’s Center allows us to extend care beyond the hospital walls,” said Dr. Chang, who co-chairs the National Institutes of Health CVI Registry Expert Panel. “By working together, we can combine medical expertise with ongoing educational guidance and family support, ensuring children with CVI and their parents have a complete network of care.”

Together, the clinic brings medical providers, vision specialists and family support services into one collaborative model, strengthening care for children with CVI and expanding access to meaningful, long-term support. For more information about the clinic, please contact Brenda Perla at BrendaP@BlindChildrensCenter.org.