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Identifying Visual Problems

This information has been prepared to help teachers and parents identify children's visual problems that could interfere with learning and classroom performance.

Nearly all the visual problems that deter children from doing well in the classroom will not be uncovered by a routine check using a board of letters.This kind of assessment only identifies children who cannot see clearly.

Vision is more than clarity

It is the ability to visualise, understand and apply the information that comes through the eyes. Children with 20/20 vision may not have these abilities.Learning problems are often related to vision problems.

Teachers are the best screeners. They observe the child working in the classroom. The appearance of irritated eyes, squinting and frequent blinking are all physical signs of visual problems. A child's performance is affected by problems with eye movement, eye teaming, hand-eye coordination and visual perception.

Eye Movement Problems

A child's learning progress will be reduced if eye movements are slow or clumsy, if the eye jumps stutters or lose their place when reading.

Eye Teaming Problems

While our eyes are supposed to work as a team so that they perform as one, this teaming is not guaranteed by design. It must be acquired through use during the pre-school years and not all children adequately develop this skill.

It can interfere with learning, especially in areas of comprehension and special relations.

Hand-eye coordination Problems

Hand-eye coordination problems are noted as a lack of skill in drawing or writing. Paper work shows poor orientation on the page and the child is unable to stay within the lines when colouring. Often the child will continue to be dependent on his or her hand for inspection and exploration of toys or other objects.

Visual form perception problems

Form perception problems usually are a result of difficulties in the discrimination of visible likenesses and differences.

There is confusion with similarities, inattention to sight differences, reversals in reading and letter forms. This produces difficulties in spelling and writing.

Refractive status problems

Near sightedness, far-sightedness, astigmatism and focussing problems interfere with the child's comprehension processes and classroom participation.

These problems can be developing even though the child may see 20/20 on the eye chart. They need prompt attention by a behavioural optometrist who treats both a child's vision and sight.

The check-list

This is designed to assist the teacher in communicating with optometrists and parents.
It is particularly useful in identifying those children who did well academically in the very early years and later developed problems.

Teacher's Observations when child reads

Parent's Page     Teacher's Page