Vision Problems

How Vision Problems Affect Reading, Writing and Arthimetic

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

How do vision problems affect the 3Rs?

How do vision problems affect the 3Rs?

Reading, writing and arithmetic.  They’re the foundation of our educational system, and the basis for what your child needs to succeed in school.

So what happens if your child is struggling in one or more of these areas, and you don’t have a clue why?    

You start playing detective, and investigate all the possibilities. 

At the top of your list should be undetected vision problems. These are vision issues that evade typical vision screenings performed by school, and they can have a profound effect on your child, both academically and socially.

Here is a breakdown of just how vision problems can impact your child’s performance in the 3Rs: (more…)

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Vision Therapy Needs a Revolution of Its Own

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Can vision therapy inspire an uprising of awareness?

Can vision therapy inspire an uprising of awareness?

The upheaval in the Middle East has toppled one autocrat, and looks to crack the foundation of others. 

On our own soil, recent events at Wisconsin’s state capitol have inspired mass protests from teachers, nurses, firefighters and other citizens.

In both cases, people have been motivated by a single uniting cause.  Inspired to stand up, speak out, and fight for what they believe is right.

Now vision therapy needs a little revolution of its own.

We don’t expect rioting in the streets over vision problems

No one here at The Vision Therapy Center, or any of the many developmental optometrists or vision therapists across the country, is going to lead a massive demonstration to Washington, D.C.  We won’t be tossing Molotov cocktails or urging fellow citizens to walk off their jobs.

No, we’re hoping for a different kind of revolution. (more…)

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What the Green Bay Packers Can Teach Us About Vision Problems

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

The Super Bowl champs overcame a big setback.

The Super Bowl champs overcame a big setback.

The Lombardi Trophy has returned to Titletown, as the Green Bay Packers captured this year’s Super Bowl.  The road to yet another championship wasn’t easy, however.  The Packers had to overcome a rather formidable obstacle:  Injuries. 

People with vision problems also face physical setbacks, and they create their own methods for coping with their problems. However, by taking a page out of the Packers playbook, they can overcome their vision issues and achieve Super Bowl success in school and on the job. (more…)

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Five Reasons Why Vision Problems are a Mystery to Parents

Monday, December 27th, 2010

Everyone loves a good mystery.  We love the cryptic clues, the fake alibis, and the revelation that it was Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick.
That’s all great fun in movies, books, and board games, but it’s a different story when parents encounter a mystery that affects their child’s ability to learn.  Here are some typical mysteries that 1 out of 4 parents encounter:
• They have a child who is bright, but is failing in school.
• They have a child who has 20/20 vision, but gets headaches when he or she reads.
• They have a child who is disruptive in class and can’t focus, but has a good home life and doesn’t have ADHD.
Why are vision problems such a mystery?
Every day, vision therapists meet families that have never heard of many of the vision problems that affect learning.  They’re equally as unaware that vision therapy is a proven method for correcting the problem.
But why are these problems such a mystery?  We’re not certain, but here are five theories:
1. You don’t know a vision problem exists until it’s yours.  There are thousands of learning issues, medical problems and behavior quirks that exist in the world.  You can’t be expected to know about all of them, and most people are unfamiliar with vision issues beyond visual acuity (20/20 vision).
2. You think school screening would uncover vision problems.  Children receive vision screenings at schools, but these tests generally only measure child’s visual acuity.  They don’t take into account binocular vision, processing, and a host of other visual skills that can affect a child’s visual system.
3. Your child seems to be getting by.  How would a child know if he or she has a vision problem?  Without a functional vision exam, most don’t, so they can’t tell parents if they’re struggling.  Amazingly, children (and adults) figure out how to function with their vision problem.
For example, one of the patients at The Vision Therapy Center had double-vision.  When she went to pick up an object, she always saw two things.  She would pick the image on the right because her experience told her that it was the “real one.”  Children like this patient have no reference point for “normal” vision; they simply don’t know what “normal” vision is because they’ve always had a vision problem.
4. Your doctor denies the efficacy of vision therapy.  There are ophthalmologists and optometrists who understand that some visions problems exist beyond their purview, and recommend patients to a developmental optometrist for vision therapy.  Unfortunately, there are also ophthalmologists and optometrists who feel differently.   They’ll ignore and even deny their patient’s symptoms, and dispute studies that prove the efficacy of vision therapy.
5. Your child’s teachers are unaware of how vision relates to learning.  The fact that vision and learning are so intricately related would seem to be a foregone conclusion, but many educators think that the relationship begins and ends with 20/20 vision.  Without an understanding of typical vision problems, many teachers fail to spot the telltale symptoms.  Teachers who have recommended children for vision therapy become quite adept at spotting vision problems.
How do we make vision problems less of a mystery?  Heightening awareness of the symptoms of vision problems, sharing the results of scientific studies, and relating success stories can all help bring these issues to light.
In a day when information is so readily shared, all of these tasks can be accomplished.  It starts with sharing articles like these, and directing people to resources that answer questions about vision problems and solutions like vision therapy.
Everyone loves a good mystery.  But when it involves a child’s ability to learn, we like it even better when the mystery is solved.
Why are vision problems such a mystery to parents?

Why are vision problems such a mystery to parents?

Everyone loves a good mystery. We love the cryptic clues, the fake alibis, and the revelation that it was Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick.

That’s all great fun in movies, books, and board games, but it’s a different story when parents encounter a mystery that affects their child’s ability to learn. Here are some typical mysteries that 1 out of 4 parents encounter:

  • They have a child who is bright, but is failing in school
  • They have a child who has 20/20 vision, but gets headaches when he or she reads.
  • They have a child who is disruptive in class and can’t focus, but has a good home life and doesn’t have ADHD.

Fortunately, many times these mysteries have a simple solution: They can all be caused by a vision problem. In fact, studies indicate that nearly 25 percent of students have a vision issue that affects their ability to learn. The only mystery is why more people don’t know about it.

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What’s the most overlooked part of football conditioning?

Friday, September 10th, 2010

defeated
Creative Commons License photo credit: Trippography

by Brandon Begotka, OD

Conditioning is critical in sports – particularly in football.  While so much emphasis is placed on lifting weights and running, one of the most critical parts of the body is overlooked by most coaches:  Their players’ eyes.

It doesn’t matter how strong or fast you are.  If you can’t see the ball, you can’t catch it. Unfortunately, an athlete can have vision problems that go undetected, even if they have perfect “20/20” vision. (more…)

Posted in Sports and vision, Vision Problems | No Comments »

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