--- title: Difficulties with Writing Could Be Vision Problem – Part 2 description: How difficulties in writing can be solved by improving visual skills. image: https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/hubfs/iStock-694160734.jpg --- - [Make an Appointment](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/schedule-an-appointment) - [Make a Payment](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/make-a-payment) - [Locations](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/locations) - [262-784-9201](tel:2627849201) [![The Vision Therapy Center](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/hs-fs/file-554902641-png/images/layout/logo-green.png?width=149&name=logo-green.png "The Vision Therapy Center")](https://91892.hs-sites.com/homepage) - [Home](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/old) - [What is Vision Therapy](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy) - [Symptoms](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy/symptoms) - [Treatment](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy/treatment) - [Functional Vision Exam](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy/diagnosis-functional-vision-test) - [ADHD](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy/adhd) - [Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/amblyopia-lazy-eye) - [Concussions](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/vision-problems-after-concussions-concussion-symptoms-eyes) - [Convergence Insufficiency](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/convergence-insufficiency-convergence-excess) - [Double Vision (Diplopia)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/double-vision-diplopia) - [Dyslexia](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy/dyslexia) - [Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/strabismus-crossed-eyes) - [Costs](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/costs-the-vision-therapy-center) - [Appointments and Billing](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy/appointments-billing) - [About Us](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/about-us) - [Success Stories](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/category/success_stories) - [Resources](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/resources) - [Presentations](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/schedule-a-presentation-on-vision-therapy) - [Studies](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/resources/clinical-studies) - [Parents](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/parents) - [Teachers](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/teachers) - [Optometrists](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/optometrists) - [News - Media](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/media-in-the-news) - [Links](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/resources/links) - [Blog](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy) - [Contact](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/contact) - [Privacy](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/data-usage-page) Discovering Vision Therapy Blog # Difficulties with Writing Could Be Vision Problem – Part 2 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Writing difficulties could mean vision problems](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/hs-fs/hubfs/iStock-694160734.jpg?width=600&name=iStock-694160734.jpg) In our previous post “[Difficulties with Writing Could be a Vision Problem – Part 1](https://info.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/bid/80527/Difficulties-with-Writing-Could-Be-Vision-Problem-Part-1),” we illustrated a number of different ways you can spot a visual problem in the physical handwriting of a student.  In this post, we’ll deal with how to use visual skills to improve physical handwriting, as well as some corrective tips for bad habits.**Teach the kids to “look ahead.”**  You always want to look ahead of where your pen or pencil is on the paper.  Teach children to look ahead to where they want the pencil to go.  Children who only focus on the tip of the pen or pencil tend to be aware of only a very small area of the page around the pencil. This makes writing very difficult. Young children just learning to write should look at the starting point to place the pencil on the page and then look at the place they need to end the stroke before starting to make the stroke.  Older children and adults should be looking farther ahead. **Use peripheral vision. **We point our eyes at the place we want to start to position the pencil and then look a bit ahead to where we want to go for neat writing, but use peripheral vision for orientation on the page, spacing and writing straight. The top, bottom and sides of the page should be utilized as guides while writing. For some kids and adults, just making them aware of using peripheral vision will help them improve very quickly with a bit of practice. People having difficulty using their peripheral vision well may need help building that visual skill before they can use it for writing.  **Use a slant board.**  Any child, with or without vision problems, can benefit from using a slant board.  It tends to reduce eye-strain and makes it easier to make the letters correctly, as the letters are not distorted because they’re at an angle.  (This is why draftsmen, engineers and artists use a drafting board.) **Hold your pencil correctly.**  We seem to be pushing kids to write earlier and earlier, even when they’re physically incapable of holding a pencil in the correct manner.  That often ends up creating poor habits for how a child holds a pencil. Many times children continue to use the poor finger positioning even when they get older. Holding the pencil correctly allows for best freedom of movement of your fingers, and for best fine motor control.  In addition, your student or child should hold a pencil far enough from the tip so the writer can easily see the tip without having to distort posture.  **Have the paper positioned at a slight angle.**  Positioning the paper correctly allows for good posture, and using a correct working distance minimizes visual stress for near work. It also allows you to see the whole line you have written and where you are going for best spacing on the page. If a child continues to have difficulties with writing, this could be an indication of a vision problem.  At that point, you should consider a Functional Vision Test to determine if the poor handwriting is indicative of a larger, yet correctable, issue.   **[![The Vision and Learning Guide](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/hs-fs/file-15965691-png/images/teacherparent_guide.png?width=164&height=213&name=teacherparent_guide.png)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/bid/80528/download-your-free-vision-and-learning-guide/?utm_campaign=Blog&utm_source=Blog%20posts)****Learn how undetected vision problems can impact a child's ability to learn.  Download your free **[Vision and Learning Guide](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/download-your-free-vision-and-learning-guide/). Posted by   [Greg Mischio](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/author/greg-mischio) --- ## Join over 5,000 people receiving monthly updates on vision therapy!  Enter your email below to receive our monthly enewsletter, featuring new developments in vision therapy and our latest success stories! ### About the content on this website The content on this website has been created by The Vision Therapy Center. It was written by professional writers and then reviewed and edited for medical accuracy by the Developmental Optometrists at The Vision Therapy Center.  ### Categories - [Success Stories (62)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/topic/success-stories) - [Functional Vision Problems (54)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/topic/functional-vision-problems) - [Vision Therapy (53)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/topic/vision-therapy) - [Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) (31)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/topic/amblyopia-lazy-eye) - [Learning-Related Vision Problems (26)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/topic/learning-related-vision-problems) - [Strabismus (Crossed Eyes) (21)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/topic/strabismus-crossed-eyes) - [Functional Vision Test (14)](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy/topic/functional-vision-test) - 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[EXCELerated Vision](http://wowvision.typepad.com/) - [Bright Eyes Family Vision Care News and Updates](http://www.brighteyesnews.com/) - [Maino’s Memos](http://www.mainosmemos.blogspot.com/) - [American Optometric Association](http://www.aoa.org/)  - [Home](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/old) - [What is Vision Therapy](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/what-is-vision-therapy) - [About Us](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/about-us) - [Success Stories](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/category/success_stories) - [Resources](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/resources) - [Blog](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/discovering-vision-therapy) - [Contact](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/contact) - [Privacy](https://www.thevisiontherapycenter.com/data-usage-page) **The Vision Therapy Center, Inc.** – Phone: 262-784-9201  FAX 262-784-9206 ***Locations*** **The Vision Therapy Center, Inc. - Brookfield, WI** 13255 W Bluemound Rd #200 Brookfield, WI 53005 262-784-9201 ****Brookfield hours of o**peration / **8 am - 6 pm M-Th  -  8 am - 5 pm F **The Vision Therapy Center, Inc. - Madison, WI **4781 Hayes Rd #103 Madison, WI 53704 262-784-9201 ****Madison hours of o**peration /** 9:15 am - 5:45 pm Th **The Vision Therapy Center FDL, LLC - Fond du Lac, WI **101 Wisconsin American Drive, Suite 800 Fond du Lac, WI 54937 262-784-9201 **Fond du Lac hours of operation / **9:00 am - 6:00 pm Tues  © 2026 The Vision Therapy Center