It is not enough for children to have 20/20 eyesight and healthy eyes to be efficient learners and readers. A child with 20/20 eyesight will be able to see small print on the chalk board or smart board in school, but other eye-brain skills are necessary to allow children to see comfortably and effortlessly at close distances. Studies have shown that children spend up to 70% of their school day focused on their desk or copying from board to paper. Eye teaming (binocular vision) and focusing skills allow children to maintain single, clear, comfortable vision throughout reading, writing, and copying tasks. Tracking skills allow children to move their eyes smoothly during reading and writing. Visual processing and visual motor skills are crucial for handwriting, math, early reading skills, and organizing written work.
Children with learning related vision problems have difficulty sustaining their attention during desk work, tests and homework because of the effort involved in making their eyes work.
Children with learning related vision problems have difficulty sustaining their attention during deskwork, tests and homework because of the effort involved in making their eyes work. They take frequent breaks and can behave as if they have ADHD. They generally don’t like to read and homework can be very frustrating as their eyes are already tired from their day of school.
A position paper for parents and educators from the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) discusses the latest research and the impact of eye teaming and focusing problems on learning and classroom behavior. Timely identification and treatment of these problems can remove a potential obstacle that can prevent a child from performing at his or her full potential.
Download the Report:
Optometric Care of the Struggling Student American Academy of Optometry
Take the Vision Quiz to see if your child has signs of a Learning Related Vision Problem.