Vision & Learning Month: 5 Signs Your Child May Have a Vision Problem

Vision & Learning Month: 5 Signs Your Child May Have a Vision Problem

Did you know that around 80% of what is taught in schools is presented visually? This could be on a board, a screen, a book, a chart or even watching a science experiment. Unsurprisingly, if your child is experiencing problems with their vision, it could have a significant impact on their ability to learn, which could result in them not reaching their academic potential. In fact, studies suggest that around 10% of school-aged children in the United States, which equates to around 5 million kids, have vision problems that are significant enough to interfere with their learning.

Fortunately, most of these issues are treatable with either prescription eyewear, vision therapy to improve their visual skills, or a combination of the two.

Here are 5 of the most common signs that your child could have a vision problem.

Difficulty Completing Homework

Let’s face it, very few children actually enjoy doing homework. However, there can be times when their reluctance actually relates to their eyesight rather than their unwillingness to cooperate and complete learning at home. If your child is pushing back against doing their homework, or if they seem to be struggling to complete work that should be within their capabilities, it could be that their vision is making it more difficult for them.

Inattentiveness Or Being Distracted Easily

All children struggle to pay attention from time to time, especially when they are expected to focus on a subject that doesn’t particularly interest them. However, a percentage of children are misdiagnosed with behavior conditions like ADD/ADHD each year due to inattentiveness that is actually caused by poor vision. When a child can’t see clearly, they are less focused on what they should be doing, and their mind can wander. Some children become more disruptive to try and mask the fact that they are struggling to read.

Losing Their Place When Reading

When you are reading large sections of writing with small text, it can be difficult to keep track of where you are. However, this is especially true of children who have problems with their vision. Often this is a result of poor visual tracking skills, which refers to the way that the eyes move to track across the page. Fortunately, this is a skill that can be improved with vision therapy.

Eyes Becoming Sore When Reading

Reading requires a great deal of focus, particularly if your vision is blurred. This is because the eyes will strain themselves to try and bring words and objects into a single, clear picture. Doing so places a great deal of strain on the muscles around the eyes, and we automatically start to blink less often as we focus hard to try and make out what we are seeing. Over time, repeated strain and lack of lubrication can lead to the eyes feeling stiff and sore.

Getting Tired When Reading

The level of focus and concentration needed when trying to read something that is blurred is extremely tiring, especially for young children who are already working hard to read words that may be new to them. If your child starts to exhibit an unusual degree of fatigue, it could be that trying to read is exhausting them because they have a vision problem.

What Should I Do If I Suspect My Child Has Vision Issues?

If you suspect that your child may be affected by vision problems, we strongly advise that you make an appointment with our expert team as soon as possible. We can assess your child’s vision and visual skills and determine if they could benefit from treatment to improve them. Spotting the signs of vision issues early can help to ensure that your child doesn’t fall behind in their learning.

To learn more about signs that your child has a vision problem or to schedule an appointment, please call Bernstein Center For Visual Performance at (914) 682-8886 today!


Click here for the 5 signs infographic