Kids Can't Read If
They Can't See
Learn more about the critical link
between vision and learning:
It is 8:15 Tuesday morning but,
instead of arriving at school, Jayce is balancing on a blue square
board with a smaller square of wood fixed to the bottom center of
the board. He is preparing for an appointment with his
Developmental Optometrist, by following directional commands given
by his mother. They are at Jayce’s weekly Vision Therapy
appointment. When Jayce was learning to do this part of his
therapy, the doctor directed him in the correct way to step onto
the board. Once Jayce balanced himself on the board, the doctor
asked him a question; “Jayce, did you know that you use your eyes
when you balance?” Jayce says no, with a little bit of
disbelief. While he is balanced, the doctor tells Jayce to close
his eyes, he does, and immediately he loses his balance. Jayce is
learning the critical link between what he can see and what he can
do. As his time passes, Jayce will continue through a progressive
program of procedures, under his doctor’s supervision, that will
address issues with eye teaming, focus, tracking, processing
visual information and binocular vision, to name a few. These
skills are the same skills Jayce uses daily to learn, to read, and
to come to understand information in his environment.
Every week children and adult patients
arrive for their weekly appointment for Vision Therapy, a type of
therapy that treats dysfunctions of the visual system. Most
patients discover their specific visual issues during a
comprehensive eye exam. However, all are dealing with visual
issues that are creating difficulties in their education or work
lives. The American Public Health Association states that “25% of
students in grades K-6th have visual problems that are serious
enough to impede learning.” Many times, visual problems can go
undetected unless a developmental eye exam is performed. The
American Optometric Association states that “When vision problems
go undetected, children almost invariably have trouble reading and
doing their school work. They often display fatigue, fidgeting
and frustrations in the classroom-traits that can lead to a
misdiagnosis of dyslexia or other learning disabilities (such as
ADD/ADHD).” And the Vision Council of America tells us that it is
estimated that “80% of children with a learning disability have an
undiagnosed vision problem.” During a developmental, exam the
doctor searches for deficiencies in the visual skills. This type
of exam is done only by doctors who have specialized postgraduate
training in Developmental Optometry. Some of the symptoms of a
vision problem that could interfere with reading and learning
include:
-
A dislike of reading
-
Prefers to be read to
-
Skips or rereads lines
-
Trouble seeing the board
-
Loss of place when reading
-
Poor reading comprehension
-
Headaches, dizziness or nausea
-
Short attention span, frustration
-
Number/letter reversals such as “b”
and “d”
-
Homework takes longer than it should
When the doctor diagnoses a vision
related difficulty, they pin points the patient’s needs and then
customizes a program of treatment that addresses those needs. In
this way, children and adults move beyond 20/20 vision and work to
correct disorders that cause them to struggle in school and work.
The office of
Nora Gindi-Reed, O.D., provided this article, if you would like
more information please call (727) 531-6956. The office is full
scope optometric practice dedicated to providing the highest
quality vision care to children and adults in a friendly,
comfortable, and professional atmosphere. With a highly trained
staff and state of the art equipment, we go beyond 20/20.
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