Experts suggest that almost 25 percent of children have untreated vision issues that hold them back in school. Vision problems affect their classroom and field activities and can negatively impact the child's life. 

When it comes to difficulty seeing clearly, kids are less likely to indicate they have a problem. In many cases, they do not even realize they have a vision issue. 

Essential Visual Skills
 

Around 80 percent of school learning is visual, depending on good vision skills. The inability to see words on the board or understand lessons may result in poor academic performance or behavioral issues. Several vision skills are necessary for reading, writing, doing math, or participating in sports.

Understanding Vision Therapy

Vision therapy is a personalized doctor-supervised program that helps strengthen the patient's visual skills. Improving these skills involves enhancing eye-brain communication. The nonsurgical therapy helps improve convergence, eye tracking, and visual processing. 

Each program is customized to suit the patient's needs and aims to allow the visual system to correct itself. It may include prisms, lenses, filters, video games, and other equipment.

Does Your Child Need Vision Therapy?

Signs that your child may need vision therapy include:
 

• Blurred or double vision

• Frequent headaches

• Eyestrain or fatigue

• Sensitivity to bright lighting

• Losing place when reading

• Problems copying text

• Problems maintaining attention

• Poor eye-hand coordination

• Turning or drifting of one eye

• Excessive squinting or blinking

• Closing one eye to see clearly

• Difficulty with reading or comprehension

Comprehensive Eye Exams
 

The best way to determine whether your child needs vision therapy is by scheduling a comprehensive eye exam. The exam can help detect or rule out visual issues that impede your child's progress. 

Besides determining whether the child needs prescription glasses, the exam will also check for common eye diseases. Eye doctors analyze how eyes work together, evaluating the eyes as an indication of overall health. 

Detecting Vision Problems
 

Identifying the signs and telltale behaviors is the first step in diagnosing a vision problem. If you suspect your child may have a problem, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor. A comprehensive eye exam will help evaluate the child's functional vision. 

Vision therapy can help correct issues such as amblyopia, strabismus, binocular vision problems, focusing disorders, and eye movement disorders. A thorough analysis of a child's vision is vital to evaluate the visual skills necessary for efficient learning and reading. 

To know if your child needs vision therapy, visit Graham Eye Care at our Graham, Texas, office. Call (940) 549-1800 to schedule an appointment today.