Did you know that up to 80% of what a child learns in school is through their visual system? If your child is struggling with a vision problem, it could be impacting their ability to learn. Vision problems like myopia, which makes distant objects blurry, can be easily detected during a comprehensive eye exam. However, other issues affecting eye tracking, teaming, and other visual skills can be harder to diagnose and require specialized treatment such as vision therapy.
In this blog post, we will explore how vision therapy can improve learning in children and help them develop the skills they need to succeed in school, sports, and other activities.
What is vision therapy?
Vision therapy is a customized program designed to improve visual skills and abilities. It’s like physical therapy, but for the eyes! It involves a series of exercises and activities that are tailored to each patient’s specific needs. The goal of vision therapy is to strengthen the connection between the eyes and the brain, improving eye tracking, focusing, depth perception, and other visual skills.
How does vision therapy help improve learning?
Many children with learning-related vision problems may struggle with reading, writing, and focusing in the classroom. Vision therapy can address these issues by training the eyes and brain to work together more efficiently, leading to better reading comprehension, concentration, and overall academic performance.
Some children struggle with eye teaming and coordination, making it difficult to follow lines of text or shift focus between near and far objects. Vision therapy exercises can strengthen eye muscles and improve eye coordination, making it easier for children to follow along with classroom materials and read and write. These exercises can also enhance their performance in sports and other extracurricular activities.
Common signs of learning-related vision problems
It’s important for parents to be aware of the signs that may indicate a child has a vision problem affecting their learning. Some common signs include frequent headaches or eye strain, skipping or repeating lines while reading, poor hand-eye coordination, short attention span, and avoiding reading or other close-up activities.
The benefits of early intervention
Spotting and dealing with vision problems early on is crucial for kids. The sooner we catch and treat these issues with vision therapy, the greater the impact on a child’s learning outcomes. Investing in your child’s visual health from the start sets them up for success in school and life.
If your child is struggling in school or showing signs of a possible vision problem, we can help. At Prairie Vista Eye & Optical, we offer vision therapy in Liberal, Kansas for individuals of all ages, from children with learning-related vision problems to adults with visual problems due to a traumatic brain injury or aging. During your child’s eye exam, we will test their visual skills and determine if vision therapy is right for them. To schedule an appointment for your child, contact Prairie Vista Eye & Optical in Liberal today!