Article 4 The Relation Between Supramodal Processing and Visual Acuity Less Than 20/30 in 8- to 12-Year-Old Children

Background: Optometric practice goes beyond the diagnosis and treatment of the different refractive conditions and eye diseases. It includes an evaluation of information processing skills that depend, in some way, on supramodal processing stability. This involves simultaneous and sequential or successive processing. Cerebral function allows for normal perception of what is being seen; any deficit may have repercussions in learning. The object of this study is to investigate the relationship between simultaneous and sequential or successive processing. Methods: Forty-four children, ages 8 to 12 years, were divided into two groups based on visual acuity: ametropia and emmetropia. The Hand Movement Test, a sub-test of the Kauffman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC), and the Visual Organization Test (VOT) were performed by all participants. Results: Simultaneous processing evaluated with the VOT did not show statistically significant differences (p=0.07). In contrast, the sequential or successive processing obtained by using the Hand Movement Test showed that the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: A deficit in visual acuity is not related to simultaneous processing but is related to sequential or successive processing.