Vision and Learning

Most children have no idea how they are supposed to see. Therefore, it is important that you know the signs of a vision problem that may be interfering with your child’s ability to read and learn.

“According to the American Federation of Teachers, vision plays an important role in our children’s education and; Even the most gifted students will struggle academically if they have trouble seeing the blackboard or focusing on a book. A tremendous amount of learning happens visually, so proper vision care in crucial to helping students reach their full potential.”

- American Federation of Teachers

20/20 is not enough
Vision screenings in school and at the pediatrician's office usually only test distance vision. Most people think that 20/20 is "perfect vision," when in fact, 20/20 is a measurement of what someone is able to see at a distance of 20 feet. Most of our learning is through reading which occurs at approximately 16 inches.

There are 17 visual skills required for reading and learning, including the ability to point the eyes together, to focus the eyes, and to move the eyes across a page properly. These skills are often not tested in common vision screenings. Passing a vision screening, which tests distance vision, leads parents to incorrectly believe that nothing is wrong. An exam from the eye doctor’s office is designed to test how healthy your eyes are and to see if you need glasses or contact lenses. The routine eye exam is not designed to test the 17 visual skills required for academic success.

If any of these visual skills are not working properly, it can make reading and learning an unnecessary challenge. Some children develop behavior problems, while others develop avoidance tactics or simply refuse to read. Usually the child is bright, causing parents to be confused by their difficulties.

Other times the child is labeled hyperactive, lazy, or slow. Many of the symptoms caused by underlying visual problems can easily be mistaken as learning disabilities or attention problems such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder or ADHD.

​​​​​​​When appropriate, vision therapy can aid in strengthening the visual skills needed for reading and learning. While vision therapy does not directly treat learning disabilities, it can help reduce the visual barriers that may be making learning more difficult.