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Even if your child has “ 20 / 20 ” eyesight they may be experiencing vision problems . These problems may be causing learning problems and substandard educational results . A child ’ s visual acuity ( how well s / he can see the wall chart ) is an essential aspect of good vision but there are other factors which may prove more important . You may already be aware that a nearsighted child has little trouble reading or that good grades in school can be acquired even if much of the teacher ’ s board cannot be seen by the student . Questions Related to Eyesight and Learning
Eye movement skills : Do your child ’ s eyes move across the page in a book smoothly and accurately ?
Eye focusing abilities : Does your child change focus from near to far and back again – between reading text from a far-away white or black-board and writing on paper ?
Eye teaming skills : Are your child ’ s eyes working together as a focus unit – do they come together for proper eye alignment for reading ?
Binocular vision skills : Are your child ’ s eyes blending visual images from both eyes into a single , threedimensional image ?
Visual perceptual skills : Does your child identify and understand what s / he sees , co-relating importance , connecting with previous visual memorized information ?
Visual-motor integration : Is the quality of your child ’ s eye-hand coordination balanced ? Visual-motor integration is important not only for legible handwriting and the ability to efficiently copy written information from a book or board but also for sports . Deficiencies in any of these can be detrimental to a child ’ s learning ability and / or school performance .
Vision Problems Do Affect Kids Learning
Undetected learning-related vision problems in children are common . A child with an untreated vision problem may be misdiagnosed with behavior problems or ADHD / ADD when in reality they have a vision problem . Vision problems , in extreme cases , ignored or misdiagnosed , can become the true root cause of a child becoming the victim or aggressor in a school bullying tragedy .
Left untreated , vision problems will hinder your child ’ s learning in school . Studies have shown that at least 13 % of children ages of nine- thirteen suffer from moderate to severe convergence insufficiency , the ability to bring one ’ s eyes together , which is crucial for good reading . Studies demonstrate clearly that 1 out of 4 school-age children suffer from at least one learning related vision problem .
Learning-Related Vision Problems Signs and Symptoms Some of the most common roadmap symptoms of learning-related vision disorders are :
• Double vision , particularly during or after reading
• Poor handwriting
• Hyperactivity or recklessness during class
• Word and letter reversals
• Easily distracted during reading
• Poor reading comprehension
• Poor overall school performance
• Circumventing of reading
• Blurred vision , especially after reading or working closely
• Eye Strain or frequent headaches
Call us to schedule a comprehensive child ’ s vision exam if your child exhibits one or more of these signs or symptoms and is exhibiting these types of problems in school .
Comprehensive Child Vision Exam
A comprehensive child ’ s vision exam includes tests performed in a routine eye exam , plus specific additional tests for detecting learning-related vision problems .
Extra tests would include accommodation , binocular vision , and ocular motility testing . In addition to these , depending on the type of problems your child is displaying , we may recommend other testing , either in our office or with a child ’ s vision and / or vision development specialist .
Vision Therapy
Special reading glasses or vision therapy may help your child if s / he has a learning-related vision problem that cannot be corrected with regular glasses or contact lenses . Vision therapy entails eye exercises and other activities specifically tailored for each patient to improve vision skills .
Learning Disabilities and Vision
Although children with learning disabilities may also have vision problems that are contributing to their difficulties in the classroom , vision therapy is a treatment for vision problems ; it does not correct a learning disability . A child ’ s learning ability and school performance may indicate learning disabilities and / or vision problems .
Once your child ’ s comprehensive vision exam is completed , our doctor will advise you about whether a program of vision therapy could be helpful . We will refer you to a children ’ s vision or education / learning specialist if we do not provide the specified additional services your child needs .