There’s More To Children’s Learning Than Just 20/20 Vision
Even if your child doesn’t need corrective lenses, he or she may be experiencing vision problems, which can lead to learning problems. 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 can affect learning that are less obvious.
Questions Related to Eyesight and Learning
Eye movement skills:
Do your child’s eyes move across the page of a book smoothly and accurately?
Eye focusing abilities:
Can your child easily 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 – 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, three-dimensional 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:
How is your child’s eye-hand coordination? Writing legibility?
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.
Left untreated, vision problems will hinder your child’s learning in school. Studies have shown that at least 13% of children between the 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
- Reading avoidance
- 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.
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.