When evaluating a client's visual deficit, which condition is indicated by difficulty with a letter cancellation task?

Difficulty with a letter cancellation task is indicative of scanning deficits. This task requires the individual to visually search and identify specific letters within a cluttered array, emphasizing the ability to move one's gaze efficiently across a visual field and selectively attend to certain stimuli.

When someone struggles with such a task, it suggests challenges in visual scanning, which is critical for reading, navigating environments, and performing everyday tasks. The ability to efficiently scan visual information is essential for completing activities that require the identification and organization of visual input, which a cancellation task directly assesses.

The other conditions listed relate to different aspects of visual function. Depth perception involves the ability to perceive the distance of objects and is more related to 3-dimensional awareness rather than scanning. Contrast sensitivity refers to the ability to detect differences in light and dark, impacting visibility but not specifically scanning tasks. Color recognition involves identifying and distinguishing colors, which does not engage the visual scanning processes required for the letter cancellation task.