Learning Difficulties

Vision related learning problems are more common than most parents and educators realize.

• 25% of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning.
• When vision problems go undetected,children almost invariably have trouble reading and doing their schoolwork.  They often display fatigue, fidgeting, and frustration in the classroom - traits that can lead to a misdiagnosis of ADD, ADHD, dyslexia or other learning diablilities.
• It is estimated that 80% of children with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem.
• Early diagnosis and treatment of children's vision problems is a necessary component to school rediness and academic learning.  A vision screening, either at school or at the pediatrician's office, is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor who specializes in developmental vision.
• Early testing for vision problems is critical to mitigating learning disabilities or, in some cases, significant visual impariment in children.
• Vision is a complex process that involves over 20 visual abilities and more than 65% of all the pathways to the brain.  One in four children has an undiagnosed vision problem which can interfere with learning and lead to academic and / or behavioral problems.  However, it is important to know that these children frequently do not report symptoms because they think everyone sees the same way they do.

Often a child with a vision related learning problem has excellent verbal skills, causing parents and educators to think the child must be lazy, have ADD / ADHD, or is learning disabled. The possible misdiagnosis can be due to similar symptoms, but the causes are not the same.

Vision problems can elicit a wide range of signs and symptoms. Some, like eyestrain or blurred vision, can usually be attributed directly to a vision dysfunction. Others, such as poor attention span at school, clumsiness in sports, or reduced productivity at work, may not immediately be recognized as possible signs of a vision problem.

Physical signs or symptoms

• Frequent headaches or eyestrain
• Blurring of distance or near vision, particularly after reading or other close work
• Avoidance of close work or other visually demanding tasks
• Poor judgment of depth
• Turning of an eye in or out, up or down
• Tendency to cover or close one eye, or favor the vision in one eye
• Double vision
• Poor hand-eye coordination
• Difficulty following a moving target
• Dizziness or motion sickness

Performance problems

• Poor reading comprehension
• Difficulty copying from one place to another
• Loss of place, repetition, and / or omission of words while reading
• Difficulty changing focus from distance to near and back again
• Poor posture when reading or writing
• Poor handwriting
• Can respond orally but can't get the same information down on paper
• Letter and / or word reversals
• Difficulty judging sizes and shapes

Treatment of learning related visual problems

The treatment of learning related visual problems involves the use of appropriate glasses for near work and / or a regimen of binocular therapy and visual integration to improve important visual skills.

Since 1991, our team of trained developmental vision specialists have been providing accurate, professional diagnoses and state-of-the-art treatment you can count on. Our expertise, experience and results speak for themselves. We look forward to being of service to you. Call 208.377.1310 to schedule an appointment.