Symptoms
Telltale symptoms are easy to spot.
The following behaviors could indicate that someone has a vision problem. If you observe one or more of these symptoms, we recommend a functional vision examination. You can print any of these checklists in an attached PDF format and bring it with you to the exam.
Observable Traits
- Crossed or lazy eye
- Frequent tilting of head to one side or one shoulder is noticeably higher
- Excessive squinting, blinking, and/or closing of one eye
- Places head close to book while reading
- Poor visual/motor skills (”hand-eye coordination”)
- Problems moving in space, frequently bumps into things or drops things, is “clumsy”
- Difficulties catching and/or throwing airborne objects
- Appears to favor the use of one eye
- Burning or itching eyes, reddened in appearance
- Headaches in forehead or temples
- Exhibits posture problems
Behavior-related
- Short attention span
- Nervous, irritable, or quickly fatigued while reading, looking at books, or doing close work
- Displays signs of emotional or developmental immaturity
- Low frustration level, doesn’t get along well with others
- Experiences blurry vision
- Nausea or dizziness
- Motion sickness
- Double vision
Work skills
- Repeatedly confuses left and right directions
- Holds the book or object unusually close
- Twists or tilts head toward a book or object to favor one eye
- Frequently loses place when reading or copying from the board or paper
- Difficulty remembering what was read
- Difficulty remembering, identifying and reproducing geometric shapes
- Often reverses words
- Uses finger to read
- Rubs eyes during or after short periods of reading
- Frequently skips words and/or has to re-read
- Repeatedly omits small words
- Struggles with handwriting
- Moves head back and forth (instead of moving eyes)
You can also spot vision-related problems in infants and preschoolers.
