Getting a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI)

What is a CVI?

A Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) is an official medical document that details your child’s eye condition, and their level of vision impairment.

You need it, for example, if you want to get benefits for your child or any help from your local council.

How does my child get a CVI?

You get a CVI from your child’s eye specialist after the examination appointments.Your child’s vision has to meet the criteria for a CVI. It will detail whether your child is sight impaired or severely sight impaired.

What happens next?

The eye specialist will send the certificate to you and your GP for their records. They will also send a copy to your local council who will get in touch with you to talk about registering your child.

Make sure you keep the CVI somewhere safe, as you may need it in the future.

Once you have a CVI you can register your child with your local council and apply for financial support.