Healthy Vision in School-Aged Children | The Vision Gallery

WATCH & LEARN: Importance of Healthy Vision in School-Aged Students

Child wearing glasses at whiteboard

A huge portion of education is absorbed through the eyes– some reports say modern school curriculums can consist of over 75% visual learning. So, it’s easy to understand why healthy eyes and clear vision are so important to the development of well-rounded children. Read on for our summary of crucial, sight-based skills for children, as well as a review of the symptoms of learning-related vision problems.

20/20 & BEYOND

When many people think of vision problems, their concepts are limited to squinting at things far away or up close. While eye exams do test visual acuity– the ‘letter chart’– there is a wide variety of other eyesight issues that can make learning difficult:

  • Movement issues can cause inaccuracy or difficulty when child moves eyes across printed or written text;
  • Focusing difficulty can cause a child to struggle when copying information down from the board or other during other activities that require changing focus between different distances;
  • Teaming deficiencies disrupt the synchronization between eyes, which is essential for efficient reading;
  • Binocular vision failure makes it hard to perceive vision in three-dimensions and it also limits spatial reasoning and depth perception;
  • Perceptual errors upset a child’s ability to determine the important objects in their line of sight;
  • Uncoordinated hand-eye skills may indicate a lack of visual-motor integration needed for handwriting and other important school activities.

As you can see above, it’s not all farsightedness and nearsightedness. Having your child sit closer to the board is not enough! They require corrective lenses and regular eye exams to ensure their eyesight is performing at the highest level. Don’t let your school-aged children fall behind due to easily diagnosable and treatable issues.

WARNING SIGNS

Be aware of the following red flags if you suspect your child or children are struggling with vision or eye health problems:

  • Underachievement or frustration in school;
  • Hyperactivity or lack of attention during class-time;
  • Illegible or messy handwriting;
  • Reversal of letters, numbers or words in written work;
  • Difficulty reading (ie: omits words, repeats lines or often loses place);
  • Lack of reading comprehension;
  • Distraction or lack of interest during reading activities;
  • Complaints of double vision, headaches or tired eyes;
  • Slower reaction time when changing focus from near to far (or vice versa);
  • Squinting at a distance or holding small print farther away.

Are you worried that your child is suffering from a learning disability, poor vision or both? Contact or visit Vision Gallery today to make an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam– diagnosed eyesight issues can help correct or identify these problems. Our medical professionals are gentle and considerate with children and we are committed to getting your child back on track!

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