There are a wide variety of reasons for this, and for some of those kids it’s their struggle with academics. Namely, the struggle with homework, or seeing the board clearly, or reading correctly out loud in class, makes many tummies upset. Perhaps it’s the headaches that make children begin to dread going to class, their eyes getting tired halfway through the day. For some children it’s even their sports abilities – who really enjoys looking like a fool on the field?
August is National Vision & Learning Month, and as part of that, we here at Developmental Optometry & Vision Therapy Services want to put out a reminder that having 20/20 eyesight does not mean that there are no vision issues. In fact, it has been proven that children can have “perfect eyesight” and yet continue to experience vision disorders that make their school life miserable.
Vision disorders include things like the better-known lazy eye, but it also includes problems like convergence insufficiency and amblyopia, to name a few. Many learning-related vision disorders can manifest themselves in children as symptoms that may not initially appear to be vision-caused. In fact, in some kids it can appear as ADD or ADHD symptoms, including: failure to give close attention to details, failure to listen when spoken to directly, frequently misplacing items, forgetfulness in daily activities, easily distracted, and difficulty remaining seated.
In a study done by Dr. Davis B. Granet with 266 patients with CI (convergence insufficiency), there is “an apparent three-fold greater incidence of ADHD among patients with CI when compared with the incidence of ADHD in the general US population (1.8-3.3%) (Leslie et al., 2004). We also note a seeming three-fold greater incidence of CI in the ADHD population. This may simply represent an association and not be a causative relationship. Until further studies are performed, however, patients diagnosed with ADHD should be evaluated to identify the small subset that may have CI – a condition that responds well to treatment at home.”
In honor of National Vision & Learning Month, please take a few moments to observe your child, and if you suspect there may be vision problems outside of 20/20 eyesight, take your child to a certified developmental optometrist. Learning should be an exciting time for kids, and school a place to study and grow in skills, not something to dread.