Vision Critical to Success in School

by Kacie Monroe, OD, FCOVD

Studies suggest that as many as one in 10 school-age children may have a vision problem that is significant enough to affect learning. Most people assume that if kids pass a vision screening at the pediatrician or at school, their vision must be fine. However, there are many different visual skills required for academic success.

Having 20/20 vision isn’t enough. 20/20 measures how small someone can see, but doesn’t assess other skills needed such as: focusing, eye teaming (binocular vision), coordinated eye movements, or tracking ability.

Up to 80% of a child’s learning in school is through vision!

Many kids and adults with vision problems can be misdiagnosed with ADD/ADHD or other learning disabilities because they often:

• Skip and reread lines
• Reverse letters like “b” and “d” when reading
• Have poor reading comprehension
• Take longer to do homework
• Have a short attention span for close work

If you recognize some of these symptoms, the first step is scheduling a comprehensive eye examination. Call us at 641-752-1511 to schedule an appointment today.