Good Vision = Better Learning

Benjamin Yanofsky, OD, FAAO

Good vision is an important part of education. Many experts believe 80 percent of learning is done through a child’s eyes. Reading, computer usage and chalkboards/smartboards are all part of visual tasks students perform every day. Because a child’s eyes are always used in the classroom, his/her learning and classroom participation will suffer if their vision is not working properly.

Good vision includes visual acuity, eye health, visual integration and visual skills such as eye teaming, eye focusing and eye motility.

• Visual acuity - the ability of the eyes to see and distinguish fine details, the clarity of vision
  
  
• Visual integration - the ability to process and integrate visual information
  
  
• Eye teaming - the ability of the eyes to work properly together
  
  
• Eye focusing - the ability of the eyes to easily focus and shift focus to near and distant points
  
  
• Eye motility - the eyes ability to move together
  
  

Children with undetected vision problems are sometimes inaccurately diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). When vision is not clear, it requires a greater amount of effort than normal, which often leads a child to avoid close work. It may appear at times that the child is daydreaming. Many children with undetected vision problems struggle in the classroom. These symptoms include:

• Trouble finishing written assignments
  
  
• Losing reading place/location
  
  
• Short attention span when doing close work
  
  
• Skipping words when reading
  
  
• Showing greater potential than grades indicate
  
  

Because vision changes can occur without you or your child noticing them, your child should visit the optometrist at least every two years, or more frequently, if specific problems or risk factors exist. If needed, the doctor can prescribe treatment including eyeglasses, contact lenses or vision therapy.

Remember, a school vision or pediatrician’s screening is not a substitute for a thorough eye examination. A vision screening is intended to help identify children with eye or vision problems that threaten sight or impair the ability to develop and learn normally. Vision screenings cannot be used to diagnose an eye or vision problem, but are used to indicate the need for further evaluation. Specialized equipment and procedures, which are not available as a part of a vision screening program, are needed to adequately evaluate a child’s eye and vision status.