Does Your Child Have a Learning-Related Vision Problem?

Many students' visual abilities just aren't up to the visual demands of learning situations in the classroom - a behavioral optometrist can help.

A guide to the signs of vision problems that interfere with school performance.

A large part of learning is done visually. Reading, spelling, writing, chalkboard work, and in many schools, computers, are among the tasks students tackle all day long, day after day. Each involves the visual information frequently less than arm's length from the eyes.Many students' visual abilities just aren't up to the level of the demands of these types of learning situations in the classroom.

• They avoid near visual work entirely, or as much as possible.
• They attempt to do the work anyway, but with lowered understanding.
• They often experience discomfort, fatigue and short attention span.
• They adapt by becoming nearsighted, or by suppressing the vision of one eye.

Visual stress reactions can help explain the discomfort, fatigue, changes in behavior, altered eyesight and declining academic performance that often indicates a learning-related vision problem.

**(Vision problems do not "cause" learning disabilities. However, poor visual skills, by interfering with the process, can impede remedial efforts. It's like trying to build a house on sand. Good vision skills, on the other hand, can provide a solid foundation for learning.)

Behavioral optometrists may help their patients deal with visual stress by prescribing "stress-relieving lenses." These make it much easier for a child or adult to benefit from near vision work. Another fundamental approach is visual training. This is a sequence of activities prescribed by an optometrist, in which the child builds visual skills and the abilities to efficiently take in, understand and use visual information. Many have 20/20 EyesightBehavioral optometrists find that many children with learning-related vision problems have 20/20 distance eyesight, but have great difficulty doing vision tasks less than arm's length away.Most school screenings test just the sharpness of distance eyesight, so many vision problems that affect learning go undetected. But parents and teachers can learn to spot learning-related visual problems.Some of these signs are on the following checklist. If a child is continually exhibiting any of these signs, it's time to arrange for a behavioral vision evaluation.

Signs of Vision Problems:

• _____ Holding a book very close (only 7 or 8 inches away).
• _____ Child holds head at an extreme angle to the book when reading.
• _____ Child covers one eye when reading.
• _____ Child squints when doing near vision work.
• _____ Constant poor posture when working close.
• _____ The child moves his or her head back and forth while reading instead of moving only eyes.
• _____ Poor attention span, drowsiness after prolonged work less than arm's length away.
• _____ Homework requiring reading takes longer than it should.
• _____ Child occasionally or persistently reports seeing blurring or double while reading or writing.
• _____ Child reports blurring or doubling only when work is hard.
• _____ Loses place when moving gaze from desk work to chalkboard, or when copying from text to notebook.
• _____ Child must use a marker to keep their place when reading.
• _____ Writing up down hill, irregular letter or word spacing.
• _____ Child reverses letters (b for D) or words (saw for was).
• _____ Repeatedly omits "small" words.
• _____ Rereads or skips words or lines unknowingly.
• _____ Fails to recognize the same word in the next sentence.
• _____ Misaligns digits in columns of numbers.
• _____ Headaches after reading or near work.
• _____ Burning or itching eyes after doing near vision work.
• _____ Child blinks excessively when doing near work, but not otherwise.
• _____ Rubs eyes during or after short periods of reading.
• _____ Comprehension declines as reading continues.
• _____ Child fails to visualize (can't describe what they have been reading about).

1. Do you make a full series of nearpoint vision tests?
2. Do you make work-related and visual perception tests?
3. Do you provide full vision care and visual training in your office, or will you refer me to a colleague if needed?
4. Will you see me again during the year, and periodically to determine my progress.

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