Learning Disability or Visual Disability? How can you be sure?

Most schools screen children for visual issues on a yearly basis to ensure proper preparation for their visual system for that school year.  The screenings usually include a patch to cover one eye and a chart to read at a distance.  During that process children with distance issues are diagnosed and sent for further testing with us, however what about the near issues?  Should we be concerned with near issues when it comes to literacy?  The answer is a big YES!

Hyperopia is the most common (89% of the population) deficiency when it comes to visual needs.  The eye is shorter than intended hence affecting near vision, causing near blur along with strain, redness and fatigue.  Our visual system will compensate by activating a muscle to undue the blur, however that activation leads to physical discomfort along with personal frustration at maintaining that focus.  A symptom some adults will write off as "normal" exhaustion until the strain reaches a maximum, after which point the patient sits in my chair.  However children are blamed for laziness or poor attention span with reading comprehension when the reality might be blurring coupled with strain leading to false impressions of a poor reader.    

Still we cannot blame our children for being unable to describe their visual issues; sometimes the problem is a lot subtler.  Saccadic movement (when our eyes go from left to right to read) can also be affected in a young patient.  This has to do with muscular control of the external muscles of the eye.  Its inability to function properly can severely affect reading and lead to a diagnosis of dyslexia.  When in fact the child might only have a muscular tracking issue, treatment with physical ocular therapy might be the answer; simple and often fun.  School screenings or routine health exams with the Pediatrician are unable to detect these deficiencies without proper tools or training, however Optometry can.  

I would highly advice a comprehensive eye exam with an Optometrist specializing in pediatrics (aka sees lots of kids).  It's a simple and fun exam for children and could prevent a lot of heart/head ache for the family and their future education.  Let's try all possible venues to help educate our young minds.  

See and Be Seen! with Eyed LA Optometry in Brentwood, West Los Angeles
www.eyedla.com

Dr. Maylin Gonzalez, OD (favorite patient: kids)