Is it ADD, learning disability, dyslexia or a vision problem?

Most people consider visiting their eye doctor when they can�t read the chalk board from the back of the room, a road sign when driving, or the Packer�s score from their sofa. Unfortunately, only using distance vision as a measure of whether one would benefit from vision care leaves many people with near-centered vision problems behind. Even worse, people with near-centered vision problems are often mis-labeled and then mis-treated for attention deficit disorder (ADD), learning disability, or dyslexia.

School vision screenings are a valuable tool to screen for vision problems, yet they only catch about 20-30 percent of vision problems. They usually miss the visual problems that are most likely to lead to difficulties learning in school or inefficiency on the job later in life. People with far-sightedness, distorted vision, unequal vision, an eye turn, focusing problems, eye teaming problems, and eye movement problems will usually pass vision screenings, but often have much difficulty with sustained near-centered tasks such as reading and computer work. These are near-centered vision problems that often lead people to be mis-classified as ADD, learning disabled, or dyslexic.

People with near-centered vision problems will often avoid near work. Common signs and symptoms of these problems are:

headaches

blurry vision

double vision

achy eyes

covering one eye when reading

turning head to one side when reading

squinting

hold reading material very close to face

using finger to keep place when reading

poor grades in school�especially reading, math, and spelling

poor penmanship

Since headaches, double vision, and achy eyes are pretty annoying, most people with these problems will avoid reading altogether. They are easily distracted and they often are the ones getting in trouble in the classroom.

Fortunately most of these learning-related vision problems are easily treated. Far-sightedness, distorted vision, and unequal vision are usually completely corrected with glasses. Eye turns, focusing problems, and eye teaming problems are often treated with glasses, but sometimes require more. Vision therapy is often the best next step.

Vision therapy is like physical therapy or occupational therapy for your eyes. It teaches the eyes to work comfortably and efficiently together using lenses, prisms, eye patches, and eye exercises. Vision therapy does not make a person smarter or teach one to be able to read better. What it does do is give a person the necessary visual skills to be able to learn to read, read faster, or better understand what one is reading.

What should you do if you think you or your child might be suffering from one of the visual problems mentioned in this article? Schedule an eye exam with an eye care professional�an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. Either of these specialists will be able to determine if you or your child needs glasses. Not all eye care professionals have the space or staff to provide vision therapy services to their patients. If your eye doctor does not provide vision therapy services, he or she may be able to suggest someone who does. Or visit the College of Optometrists in Vision Development website (www.covd.org) for more information on near-centered vision problems and for a directory of vision therapy providers in your area.

 

                                        Written By Dr. Kate Buffington O.D.