How Easily Can You Read This?
Do you find reading this way difficult? Frustrating? Did you want to quit? Statistically, 20% of school-aged children fight to keep from seeing print this way. These children can’t control their eye movements at close ranges, and as a result they fight double vision every day, especially with reading. Still others struggle with print that blurs or jumps around. Is it any surprise these children are not doing well in school?
If your child is struggling to read or finding it difficult to remain on task, the cause may be an undetected vision problem, even if your child’s eyesight is 20/20 and he’s passed the school’s vision screening or a routine eye exam. The goal of this website is to educate parents and teachers about frequently overlooked vision problems in the hopes of helping those children who struggle unnecessarily because of undiagnosed vision disorders. In fact, many of these children are often suspected of having learning disabilities, dyslexia, or attention deficits when the real culprit is their vision.
Early detection can save years of struggling. If your child has been labeled ADD, learning disabled, dyslexic, unmotivated or even “lazy,” schedule an eye exam to determine if a vision problem could be affecting his or her learning. This may be the single most important thing you do for your child this year!
Find an Optometrist
To find an optometrist in Nebraska, click here for the Nebraska Optometric Association’s Find an Optometrist page.
To find a pediatric optometrist certified by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), you can use COVD’s doctor search tool. “Fellows” are fully board-certified, having completed the credentialing process and having passed their national boards. “Associates” are doctors who are in the process of becoming credentialed.
The Vision and Learning Connection
More than 80% of learning in the classroom is visual, and it is apparent that if a child cannot see, a child cannot read, and if a child cannot read, a child cannot learn.
Based upon national statistics, as many as 4,500 Nebraska children enter school each year with vision problems significant enough to hinder their ability to learn. Undetected vision problems often result in students being placed in the wrong treatment track (e.g. remedial reading, special education) at costs to parents and the state.
Students with a vision disorder will likely not focus on the book, whiteboard or computer or attempt to complete schoolwork and may be labeled with a behavior disorder due to their inability to “behave” in the classroom.
Many of our state’s young children are faced with overwhelming social and emotional challenges that can impact their ability to learn, but vision is one part of the equation that can most likely be controlled. Preventative measures include proper detection through a complete eye exam.
Follow this link if you’d like to learn more about the warning signs for visual issues in children.