Signs of Visually Related Learning Difficulties

The College of Optometrists in Vision Development asks  that parents and teachers look for the following signs FIRST when a  child is struggling academically, behaviorally or in sports. If the  response to one or more of the following is “yes,” the child may have a  correctable vision problem.

Physical Signs

• ​ One eye turning in or out
• ​ Squinting, eye rubbing or excessive blinking
• ​ Blurred or double vision
• ​ Headaches or dizziness after reading
• ​ Head tilting, closing or blocking one eye when reading

Labeled

• ​ Lazy
• ​ Dyslexic
• ​ Attention Deficit Disorder
• ​ Slow learner
• ​ Behavioral problem
• ​ Working below potential

Performance Signs

• ​ Avoids “near” work
• ​ Frequent loss of place when reading
• ​ Omits, inserts, or rereads letters/words
• ​ Confuses similar looking words
• ​ Failure to recognize the same word in the next sentence
• ​ Poor reading comprehension
• ​ Letter or word reversals after the first grade
• ​ Difficulty copying from the chalkboard
• ​ Poor handwriting; misaligns numbers
• ​ Book held too close to the eyes

Secondary Symptoms

• ​ Smart in everything but school
• ​ Low self-esteem, poor self image
• ​ Temper flare-ups, aggressiveness
• ​ Short attention span
• ​ Fatigue, frustration, stress
• ​ Irritability