Exploring the dualism of vision – visual function and functional vision

Professionals working in the field of vision impairment face high expectations from the people they support. To meet this expectation, it is critical that professionals have a broad and in-depth knowledge of vision. This paper presents an overview of the two key entities that underpin an understanding of vision – visual function and functional vision. The contemporary professional literature is reviewed to present an examination of vision as a primary and essential sense, to develop an understanding of the dual components of vision and common approaches to vision assessment, and the key models that conceptualise vision in relation to the person and their environment.