There’s a reason why functional vision problems are called “the hidden disability.” It’s because so many parents, physicians and educators aren’t aware of them. In this case, a reading specialist discovered her daughter had a vision problem, and the subsequent treatment was an eye-opening experience.

Nearly 10% of children have ADHD according to the Centers for Disease Control. What happens when these kids become adults? Peter Shankman says ADHD can be their “superpower”—if they learn how to use it.

A study has revealed strong evidence that involuntary eye movement could be a sign of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It has also reinforced what we’ve known for a long time: If kids can control their eye movements, it will improve their attention span.

When Mary Stern was a high school sophomore, her vision problems became overwhelming.

Nancy Kaplan was in the hospital recovering from endocarditis, a heart infection, when she suffered a stroke.

While on a car ride, seven-year-old Keira Halliday tried to read a stop sign. “It’s blurry,” she said to her mother, Amy.

Ask any teacher -- it’s a lot to expect a young child to sit and be attentive in school, especially in preschool or kindergarten.  Kids are distracted. Kids want to play.  

But Titus was different.

If you have a child diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or are an adult with the diagnosis, knowing how to best manage the symptoms can be challenging. In fact, the symptoms themselves can sometimes reflect a complex of problems related not only to ADHD but also to other issues—such as a functional vision problem.

If your child is displaying poor attention in class, don’t be too quick to assume they have an attention disorder. Symptoms of functional vision problems can closely resemble attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Convergence insufficiency is a relatively unknown vision problem that affects up to 8.3% of kids and the prevalence is likely similar in adults. Even with such a high rate of occurrence, optometrists have not always been able to detect the most common types of CI -- until now.