How Inefficient Visual Processing Can Affect a Student's School Performance

 

From The Vision Therapy Center

 

 

 

Published on Feb 21, 2013

 

Dr. Kellye Knueppel of The Vision Therapy Center discusses how vision problems affect each academic subject, including reading, composition, math and handwriting.

 

 

How Vision Problems Can Interfere with Learning

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Discovering Vision Therapy Blog

Great Quotes and Stats
 Posted on Mon, Jul 23, 2012 @ 08:00 AM




August is Vision and Learning Month, and to help drive home the important link between vision and learning, here are some quotes we picked up from the website of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. We included a few of our reactions with them:

• "25% of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning." - American Public Health Association

Many of these vision problems are often undetected, missed by typical vision screening and even vision examinations.

• "When vision problems go undetected, children almost invariably have trouble reading and doing their schoolwork. They often display fatigue, fidgeting, and frustrations in the classroom-traits that can lead to a misdiagnosis of dyslexia or other learning disabilities." - American Optometric Association

• "It is estimated that 80% of children with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem." - Vision Council of America

These statistics and statements are a wake-up call to special education professionals everywhere. ADHD and dyslexia symptoms are often similar to vision problems, which is why any child with a learning disability should get a Functional Vision Test. Children can have a learning disability and a vision problem at the same time.

• "Early diagnosis and treatment of children's vision problems is a necessary component to school readiness and academic learning; and that vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor. Comprehensive eye and vision examinations...are important for all children first entering school and regularly throughout their school-aged years to ensure healthy eyes and adequate visual skills essential for successful academic achievement." - National PTA Policy Statement 2005, Elements of Comprehensive Health Programs

• "Early testing for vision problems is key to preventing learning disabilities or, in some cases, significant visual impairment in children." - Ned Calonge, MD, MPH, Task Force Chairman, Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The sad truth is that parents and teachers are often in a reactionary mode, and we have to deal with problems only after the child has struggled. Great public awareness could help us reach these students earlier, and improve their visual system before problems worsen.

• "A three year study of 540 children found that those children who had visual perceptual and eye movement difficulties did poorly on standardized tests." - Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, FAAO, FCOVD, Developmental Optometrist and Past President of COVD.

The last stat, included by our colleague Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, will become more applicable here in Wisconsin as schools increasingly use standardized tests as a barometer of success.

Let’s continue to make educators, parents and the general public aware of the dramatic impact of vision problems. August is a great time to schedule a Functional Vision Test, and the best way to avoid the disheartening statements listed above.

Photo by: Jinx!

Learn how undetected vision problems can impact a child's ability to learn. Download your free Vision and Learning Guide.

Visual Processing Effects on Reading Part 1

One of the most complex activities that the brain performs is reading, and one of the most important parts of reading is the proper movement of the eyes across the page of print to be able to read that print.  Eye movements are the fastest and most frequent movements made by the human body.  Ocular motor control refers to the control and coordination of eye muscles/movements needed to read print on a page.  Ocular motor dysfunction is one of the main causes of poor reading.

Eye movements are controlled by three pairs of muscles that control three different types of eye movements: moving side to side (left to right when reading), moving up and down (moving down to the next line of text, or moving from your notes to the board), and rotating to keep the visual image upright.

When students are given vision screenings for school, they are usually ONLY tested for visual acuity at a distance of 20 feet and for color blindness.  Most reading is done within an arm's length, so the standard eye chart test does not screen for NEAR vision skills, the skills that are in constant demand of students when performing school tasks. Furthermore, the Snellen Eye Chart that is still used today in screenings was developed way back in 1862 to be used during the Civil War!  Needless to say, most standard school vision screenings have limitations in identifying visual problems that may interfere with a student's school performance.

Due to invention of visually passive items like video games, computer screens, and cell phones, near vision problems are becoming an epidemic in school age children.  The National Eye Institute found a 66% increase in in nearsightedness (myopia) from the early 1970's.  Children are spending less and less time outside where vision is stimulated by focusing on objects further away.

Numerous studies have shown that good eye tracking and attentional skills are directly related to reading readiness.  It has been observed that children younger than 7 years old often have inadequate eye movements for reading readiness.  Most 5 year olds have difficulty performing accurate eye movements used in moving from one word to the next of printed text.  So, why are asking our children to read in kindergarten?  The United States has the highest incidence of learning disabled children while Europe demonstrates a much lower incidence of learning disabilities in children.  Research has shown most European nations don't start students reading until 7 years of age.  There is something to be said about outdoor play and allowing young children to develop in an age appropriate manner.

Coming Next:  Part 2:  Symptoms of Poor Eye Tracking Skills