The doctors and staff at our Centers for Visual Learning are pleased to join with the National PTA in its encouragement of a
visual skills screening for all school-age children and youth. A resolution adopted at the National PTA Convention in June,
1999 partially states:
"....Be it resolved that the National PTA, through its constituent organizations, urges schools to include in their
vision screening program testing for learning-related visual skills necessary for success in the classroom."
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 20/20 eyesight is not 20/20 vision
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Good eyesight
is the ability to see clearly; good vision is the ability to identify,
interpret, comprehend, and act on what is seen. One's eyesight may
test normal on standard eye charts, yet an individual's visual skills
may be significantly impaired. Therefore, normal eyesight may not
necessarily produce normal vision because human vision involves complex,
interrelated components working together properly.
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Recongnizing vision related problems
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Children know
only what they see, not what they are supposed to see. Naturally they
think that everyone else perceives the world as they do. To children
with vision related learning problems, this can be a significant impediment.
School performance often suffers despite the fact that the child seems
physically and intellectually normal in other ways. Parents of such
children are often frustrated in their search for an answer to why
their child is underperforming. These children often have problems
with behavior and self-esteem.
Routine vision
tests performed in school or by most eye doctors do measure eyesight
and eye health, but do not include the kind of testing that can identify
vision related learning problems. What these children need is an optometrist
who specializes in vision testing and development. The optometrists
and staff working in our Center For Visual Learning are trained to
diagnose and treat problems of vision that can and do impair the learning
process.
These difficulties
range from simple refractive (eyeglass) conditions, to more complex
problems of eye coordination (visual efficiency), and visual perception.
Any of these deficiencies, alone or in combination, can cause mild
to severe learning disabilities.
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| Physical
Clues |
- Red, sore, or itching eyes
- Jerky eye movements, one eye turning in or out
- Squinting,
eye rubbing, or excessive blinking
- Blurred
or double vision
- Headaches,
dizziness, or nausea after reading
- Head tilting,
closing or blocking one eye when reading
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| Performance
Clues |
- Avoids
close work
- Frequently
loses place when reading
- Omits,
inserts, or rereads letters/words
- Confuses
similar looking words
- Fails to
recognize the same word in the next sentence
- Comprehends
poorly when reading
- Reverses
letters or words after age eight
- Copies
poorly from the chalkboard
- Misaligns
numbers; has poor handwriting
- Holds books
too close to the eyes
- Performs
inconsistently or poorly in sports
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| Secondary
Symptoms |
- Frequent
crying
- Short attention
span
- Fatigue,
frustration, stress
- Irritability
- Day dreaming
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| Labels |
- Lazy Dyslexic
- Attention
deficit disorder
- Slow learner
- Learning
disabled
- Behavioral
problem
- Juvenile
deliquent
- Working
below potential
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The Center for Visual Learning strategy
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Any evaluation
starts with a comprehensive eye examination to rule out ocular disease
or eyeglass type problems. Next, we evaluate the visual system for
functional problems in focusing, turning, and eye coordination. This
is called a sensorimotor evaluation and is done at a separate visit.
We also perform a battery of neurobehavioral testing to see if visual perceptual problems exist--problems
associated with how the brain perceives or processes the information gathered by the vision system.
For those children
with visual efficiency or visual perceptual problems, or both, we
develop a therapy program designed to meet the child's individual
needs. Therapy is intensive, consisting of one on one, in office sessions
with a trained therapist, working under the supervision of a developmental
optometrist. Therapy is usually supplemented by home activities on
days when no office session is scheduled. The activities are carefully
sequenced and individually aimed to strengthen weak areas. The length
of therapy is designed to achieve maximum results in a relatively
short period of time. The therapist constantly measures progress against
age related goals. Progress visits are performed by the doctor at
mid therapy and post therapy sessions. When exit testing denotes the initial
goals have been met, therapy is discontinued.
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What can you do as a parent?
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With early
diagnosis and treatment, visual learning problems can often be improved
or eliminated. Both you and your child can end the frustration that
often accompanies poor school performance. If you are concerned that
your child has a visually related learning problem or you would like
more information call or e-mail The Center For Visual Learning closest
to you.
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Parent comments
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"Since
completing the CVL program, Britian has eliminated letter and
number reversals and has greatly improved his reading speed and
comprehension. He is more enthusiastic and self-confident about
school and there is a marked improvement in his concentration
and memory. His visual/spatial manipulation has also greatly improved.
We are very pleased."
Edwin
and Anja Ancarana, Raleigh, NC
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"My daughter’s
summer was spent working on the CVL program. Her hard work has
really paid off. She has progressed from hardly reading at all
to a much more fluid reader. This program has unlocked her potential
and allowed her to begin the task of learning. Her ability was
always there, but the simple process of seeing and processing
what was seen took so much effort that it left her frustrated.
Now it’s a whole new ball game."
MaryAnn
Powell, Wilmington, NC
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Neuro-Optometry
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Neuro-optometry is another specialty area of optometry practiced by the behavioral optometrists associated with The Centers
for Visual Learning. This facet of optometry examines and rehabilitates patients who experience visual deficiencies due to an
interruption or breakdown of nerve impulses to the brain, which can occur for the following reasons:
- Acquired Dysfunctions (Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke)
- Congenital Dysfunctions (Down's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy)
- Degenerative Dysfunctions (Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis)
Neuro-optometric rehabilitation can often relieve symptoms (such as blurred or double vision, words "moving" on the page,
visual-motor dysfunctions, blind spots, avoidance of nearpoint tasks, etc.) which can interfere with day-to-day living. For
more information on this optometric specialty, contact your nearest Center for Visual Learning at Doctors Vision Center.
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Visual Learning offices in North Carolina
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For additional information, you can
check out these websites on vision therapy
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