The Most Overlooked Reason Why Smart Kids Struggle With Reading  

Your child is bright, but doesn't like to read. When he does try to read he's fine at first, when he begins to struggle: making careless errors, skipping words/lines, showing reduced concentration and comprehension. All of this triggers frustration and avoidance of reading. Does this description fit your child? If your child is struggling with reading, it could be the result of a hidden and undetected visual deficiency. Poor visual skills are probably the most overlooked reason why a child struggles in school.

Your child may have 20/20 eyesight with or without glasses, but poor visual abilities. The difference is critical. An eye exam by most eye doctors and vision screenings at school or the pediatrician's office ignore nine out of ten categories of vision abilities necessary to achieve full potential in school. These visual abilities include near eye focusing and eye focus flexibility, eye teaming, eye movement and fixation abilities, eye hand coordination, visual-auditory-motor integration, peripheral vision, visualization, and visual memory.

Studies have shown that about 80% of children with reading disorders have a deficiency in one or more visual abilities. According to the American Optometric Association, "Among school-age children, vision disorders affect one in every four. While many of these patients have refractive errors (myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and/or astigmatism) commonly treated by compensatory lenses, some have additional problems in the functioning of the vision system that are most appropriately treated with optometric vision therapy".

A recent study at the University of California San Diego showed that ophthalmologists and researchers have uncovered a relationship between the eye teaming disorder, convergence insufficiency and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dr. David B. Granet, M.D., director of the UCSD Ratner Children's Eye Center said that "children with ADHD had three times the incidence of convergence insufficiency than what was expected in children walking in off the street". Convergence insufficiency is an inability to focus the eyes at close range.

If your child exhibits two or more of the following symptoms, he or she may be suffering from a visual deficiency:  

• Child is not on grade level in reading despite all efforts, or is on grade level but with a struggle. 

• Avoids reading or looses interest quickly.

• Headaches, dizziness, nausea, or fatigues easily after reading.

• Head tilting, closing or blocking one eye when reading.

• Blurred or double vision when reading.

• Takes too long on homework. 

• Labeled ADD/ADHD, Dyslexic, or Learning Disabled. 

• Persistent reversals after 2nd grade. Confuses "b" with "d" or "was" with "saw". 

• Difficulty copying. Loses place easily. Copies too slowly.

• Too frequently loses place or skips words or whole lines when reading. 

• Poor reading comprehension.

• Medication or tutoring did not improve school performance as desired. 

• Math is better than reading. 

• Inconsistent or poor sports performance.

• Poor eye hand coordination.

• Jerky eye movements.

• Eyes that cross or turn in or out.

• Reading causes eyes to tear or itch.

• Poor self esteem.

Many vision disorders can be treated with glasses or contacts, while other disorders may be most effectively treated with vision therapy. This seventy-five year old optometric specialty has been shown to be an effective treatment for eye focusing problems, inefficient eye teaming, eye movement disorders, amblyopia, strabismus, and certain visual information processing disorders including eye-hand coordination problems. 

Vision therapy is an individualized program that can teach a patient to improve a weak or nonexistent visual skill through a program consisting of 20-45 intense, one-on-one, hour-long therapy sessions. Techniques are also taught for follow-up at home. (For more detailed information about Visual Abilities, Vision Therapy and the Myths of 20/20 Vision, please click here.)

Dr. Toler has successfully treated hundreds of children and adults with these visual deficiencies since 1982. Dr. Toler is board certified as a vision therapy specialist. This optometric treatment has been so successful that many tutors, school teachers, and psychologists have referred clients to our offices.

If you are looking for a solution rather than a label, a visual-perceptual evaluation is available. Nationally accepted standardized tests are used to determine if your child has a visual perceptual deficiency.

To schedule a visual-perceptual evaluation, please call: 

(919) 362-1962 for the Apex Office

(919) 844-4970 for the North Raleigh Office. 

To locate an optometrist in your area that specializes in vision therapy, please click here.