{"id":20465,"date":"2022-01-15T19:44:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-15T19:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=20465"},"modified":"2022-01-15T19:44:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-15T19:44:00","slug":"11-key-signs-of-learning-difficulties-from-vision-problems","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/vision-for-school\/does-your-child-have-a-learning-difficulty\/11-key-signs-of-learning-difficulties-from-vision-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Key Signs of Learning Difficulties From Vision Problems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are 11 signs that your child\u2019s vision may be impacting their school grades.<\/b><\/h2>\n

According to the American Optometric Society, around 60% of our brain is dedicated to some function related to gathering or interpreting visual information.<\/p>\n

That means more space in our brain is dedicated to vision than of all the other senses combined.<\/p>\n

It is small wonder then, that a child who is having any difficulties in their visual system may also have learning difficulties.<\/b><\/p>\n

Vision skills and learning<\/b><\/h2>\n

Vision is more than just 20\/20 sight<\/a>, as a child needs to have well developed visual skills to perform at school.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Some of the essential vision skills<\/a> that may affect your child\u2019s learning are:<\/p>\n

1. Eye teaming and tracking\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

When learning, it is very important for your child\u2019s eyes to be able to move smoothly (tracking) and in unison (teaming) to gather information efficiently.<\/p>\n

When reading, eye teaming difficulties can cause headaches and double vision, and tracking issues can cause your child to lose their place and have difficulty understanding what they\u2019ve read.<\/p>\n

2. Eye focusing<\/b><\/p>\n

This is the eyes\u2019 ability to focus and refocus when shifting between objects at different viewing distances.<\/p>\n

Poor visual focusing skills can cause your child to experience headaches, eye strain and poor attention span.<\/p>\n

Signs of vision-related learning problems<\/b><\/h2>\n

Problems with vision skills can have a severe effect on learning, as outlined above. But, they will only be detected as part of a comprehensive eye exam<\/a> with your optometrist.<\/p>\n

Signs that your child may have a vision issue that is affecting their learning include:<\/p>\n

1. Reading below grade level<\/b><\/h3>\n

If your child is reading below grade level<\/a> this could be a sign of a number of vision problems.<\/p>\n

Your child may have trouble with eye teaming or eye tracking, or visual acuity issues such as hyperopia<\/a> or astigmatism<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If they have any of these or similar conditions, words may seem blurry or double, or they may seem to move across the page as your child reads.<\/p>\n

2. Disinterest in reading or other tasks requiring extended concentration<\/b><\/h3>\n

Reading and other activities that require extended concentration can cause headaches, eye strain, and blurry or double vision in those who have poor vision skills.<\/p>\n

Certain visual issues can also make it difficult to process and understand visually-presented information \u2014 all of these factors can cause your child to become disinterested in these activities.<\/p>\n

3. Covering or closing one eye while reading<\/b><\/h3>\n

Sometimes one eye is significantly weaker than the other, causing your child to prefer not to use that eye while reading.<\/p>\n

Attempting to use both eyes can cause blurry or double vision and headaches.<\/p>\n

If it goes untreated, it can result in a condition known as amblyopia (lazy eye)<\/a>, in which the brain begins to ignore signals sent from the weaker eye, leading to long term vision problems.<\/p>\n

4. Losing their place when reading a book or other text<\/b><\/h3>\n

If your child has visual tracking issues, they are likely to lose their place as they attempt to read a text.<\/p>\n

This happens as a result of being unable to move their eyes across the page in a fluid motion. Instead, their eyes have to \u201cjump\u201d every time they want to move to the next word.<\/p>\n

This makes it much more difficult for them to keep their spot as they\u2019re reading and can also make reading comprehension much more difficult, causing your child to lose interest or have difficulty paying attention.<\/p>\n

SEE RELATED: <\/strong>The 17 Key Visual Skills<\/a><\/p>\n

For more information about treatment for vision issues that may be impacting your child\u2019s learning, contact an eye doctor near you.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t

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