Vision problems can significantly impact a child's ability to learn in school. Some parents and teachers may not realize that a child’s academic struggles may be linked to undiagnosed vision issues. The good news is we at Mind-Body-World Optometry in Scarsdale, NY, are here to help. Seeking the expertise of an optometrist near you can help identify and address these learning-related vision problems through eye care and vision therapy.
Identifying Learning-Related Vision Problems
Learning-related vision problems are not limited to poor eyesight. They encompass a range of issues that affect how the child sees and understands what he is seeing. A few learning-related vision problems include:
- Convergence Insufficiency: Difficulty in coordinating both eyes to focus on a single point, leading to problems with close-up work. This challenge sometimes presents as a high level of distractibility with near-point work, or avoidance of the tasks altogether.
- Tracking Problems (e.g., Oculomotor Dysfunction, Deficits of Saccadic Eye movements): Difficulty in following along a line of text accurately while reading, particularly on line-returns. It is common for these children to experience loss-of-place when reading, to skip or repeat lines, omit small words, to use a finger to help them keep place, and to take longer than their peers to get through the text. This often interferes with reading comprehension as well, due to the many interruptions in concentration.
- Visual Processing Skill deficits: Once a single and clear image is received by the brain, a variety of visual perceptual skills are employed to make sense of the visual input. Children who have had interference with eye teaming and eye tracking skills may also have difficulty organizing visual information. Some children have delays in learning their right from their left (laterality) and struggle with consistently tracking left-to-right across text (directionality deficit). Without strong orientation skills, they may readily confuse similar letters. This slows their speed, interrupts fluency, and interferes with the ability to read for meaning. Many of these children who struggle in school may be given the general diagnosis of “Dyslexia,” which indicates a disability with reading. However, deficits in both Visual INPUT Skills and Visual Processing Skills can present as dyslexia in school. Children who are struggling with reading and decoding skills deserve a Functional Visual Evaluation in order to rule out a visual problem which mimics or exacerbates the presence of learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.
Signs of Learning-Related Vision Problems
Children with learning-related vision problems may exhibit different signs that can be easily mistaken for behavioral or academic issues. Some signs may include:
- Frequent headaches or eye strain
- Squinting or closing one eye
- Difficulty with reading comprehension
- Avoidance of reading or other close-up tasks
- High level of distractibility during independent schoolwork/ homework.
- Words unstable/ moving on the page
- Tilting the head or covering an eye when reading
- Reversing letters or words when reading or writing
- Clumsiness/ poor eye-hand coordination
The Role of Lens-based Vision Therapy
Glasses may be prescribed as a passive form of vision therapy, in order to provide the child an opportunity to gain better control over her visual skills. In some cases, they work like a “step stool,” helping a child visually “reach” for her world with less effort, to give her a chance to develop fine-motor control with less visual effort. In some cases, they work like “graph paper for the eyes,” helping to orient the child in space, and helping her learn what it feels like to use the eyes as partners. This is especially helpful when a child is struggling with eye-teaming, and avoiding visual activities within arms’ reach. Glasses may be used independently or in conjunction with an active optometric vision therapy program.
The Role of Office-based Vision Therapy
Optometric vision therapy is a specialized program designed to correct vision problems that cannot be addressed with typical compensatory glasses or contact lenses alone. It involves a series of exercises and activities tailored to strengthen the visual system and improve visual processing skills. Fortunately, our optometry team can develop a personalized vision therapy plan to address specific vision-related learning problems.
Get Vision Therapy, Eye Care, and Eye Doctor Services from an Optometrist Near You
If your child is experiencing learning difficulties that may be related to vision problems, seeking professional help is the right choice. Contact us at Mind-Body-World Optometry in Scarsdale, NY, for expert eye care and vision therapy services in the heart of Westchester. Our team is here to help children overcome vision-related learning challenges and achieve their full academic potential. Call us at (914) 874-1177 for vision therapy, eye care, and eye doctor services from an optometrist near you.