Learning disabilities can often be complicated by undiagnosed vision problems. Our dedicated eye doctors provide comprehensive evaluations to ensure your child's success.
Learning Disabilities refer to difficulties with reading, writing, or processing information that can hinder a child's academic performance. These challenges are sometimes compounded by underlying vision problems that go unnoticed during routine screenings. Our eye doctors are dedicated to providing comprehensive evaluations to ensure that every child has the best chance to succeed in school.
When we talk about learning disabilities, we're addressing obstacles that affect the way children receive, process, and recall information. A significant body of research demonstrates that many children with learning disabilities also struggle with various vision disorders. It turns out that almost 70% of children with individualized education plans (IEPs) have treatable vision problems that are not discovered by conventional distance visual acuity screenings.
Our eye doctors have seen firsthand that issues such as convergence insufficiency, accommodative dysfunction, strabismus, and even refractive errors can impair a child's ability to read, write, and concentrate. As a result, a child’s learning difficulty may be exacerbated by these visual challenges, making everyday school tasks even harder. Here’s the thing: when the visual system does not function properly, the entire learning process is impacted.
Most of what children learn in school comes through their visual experiences. Research shows that over 80% of learning is achieved through what we see, making a well-functioning visual system essential for academic success. When a child experiences issues like poor eye teaming or difficulty with eye tracking, even clear distance vision might not be enough. Imagine trying to read a book where the words seem to jump or blur – it’s no wonder that children facing these challenges might struggle to maintain focus and retain information.
There are several reasons why vision problems can mimic or compound learning disabilities. For one, many school vision screenings only check for distance visual acuity. This means that critical skills like near vision, tracking abilities, and eye coordination often aren’t examined. Without a comprehensive look at how the eyes work together to process visual information, several treatable conditions may be overlooked, and a child could be missing out on effective support.
Contact us today to schedule a comprehensive vision evaluation and help your child thrive in their academic journey.
A study conducted by researchers at Ohio State University has provided compelling evidence that children with IEPs are far more likely to suffer from vision-related issues than their peers. The study of 255 students between the ages of 5 and 18 found a high prevalence of several eye conditions:
The startling detail is that nearly 70% of these children would have passed a typical school vision screening, which focuses solely on distant visual acuity. This research emphasizes the need for a full evaluation by our eye doctors, because many visual dysfunctions do not affect distance vision but have a significant impact on reading and learning.
Additional studies, including research from Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, have confirmed that children with reading difficulties often have issues with eye teaming, visual tracking, and focusing. These problems, when left untreated, can add to the challenges faced by children with learning disabilities, both in understanding the material and in their overall academic performance.
It is not uncommon for learning disabilities to be intertwined with vision issues. Here are some of the most common problems observed:
Each of these issues can be the silent reason behind a child’s academic struggles, and many may be improved significantly with a combination of optical correction and vision therapy. Our eye doctors are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to detect and treat these issues early, providing a pathway to improved academic performance and better quality of life.
Contact us today to schedule a comprehensive vision evaluation and help your child thrive in their academic journey.
Many children with learning disabilities face vision problems. Our eye doctors provide comprehensive evaluations to help improve learning.
