Kid's Reading - Q&A

As a Paediatric Optometrist I am often asked how the eyes can affect a kid’s reading.

Do you know that over 80% of kids with reading problems - actually have a Vision Problem!

The problem is: Most ‘see clearly’ – the issue is with their Eye Muscles. The most successful way to improve the reading in these kids is with eye exercises, also referred to as “Vision Therapy”.
Once the eyes are stronger – the child’s reading significantly improves

Here are some real questions we receive about kid’s reading:

1. What are the signs of eye problems?

Your child may experience headaches, extreme frustration with schoolwork and low self-esteem. The reading may be still slightly behind the class. She may also sometimes have blurry vision and sees double. Her attention may also be affected. Other signs can include skipping of words or guessing words when reading. A child may also rub their eyes when doing homework or during class.

2. Can the eye problems affect school performance?

Yes, eye problems can definitely affect a kid’s reading and school performance.

Before Vision Therapy, there can be large gap between academic potential and actual performance. Even though your child might be an intelligent kid, they may still struggle with reading and writing and could fall further and further behind in reading. We were also concerned about their self-esteem.

Vision Therapy allows the reading to improve. Skipping words and sentences is significantly reduced and the kid become a more fluid reader. Now that we have corrected some of his mechanical vision problems, we expect the reading and writing to continue to improve.

3. Can all Optometrists provide Vision Therapy?

Make sure you take your child to an optometrist with lots of experience seeing kids. These optometrists have specialized training. They are often called “Developmental” or Behavioural Optometrists”. When making the appointment, mention your kid has reading problems and ask if they conduct specialised tests for these kind of problems. These optometrists usually have fun computerized tests to actually test your kid’s reading. They may recommend vision therapy.