As parents, we're often the first to notice our children struggling with reading. While many factors can cause these difficulties, parents often overlook the role of vision problems rooted in poor mastery of visual skills such as eye teaming and tracking.
Our Manitoba eye care team understands the importance of addressing these issues early at Anderson Family Vision Care. Here are five common symptoms indicating your child has difficulty seeing and understanding what they're reading.
5 Symptoms of Vision-Related Reading Problems
- They Skip or Reread Lines
If your child often skips or rereads lines or loses their place while reading, it might be more than just a problem with concentration. They may be having difficulties with eye tracking. This means that, rather than their eyes moving across the page smoothly and consistently, they may jump in quick, start-stop motions from letter to letter or word to word, causing them to constantly re-find their place.
- They Have Poor Reading Comprehension
Struggling to understand and remember what they just read can frustrate any child. Beyond common learning issues, your child may have vision difficulties affecting their ability to process visual information on and off the page.
- Reading Assignments Take Longer Than They Should
When reading takes much longer than it should, it’s worth considering if vision problems are causing fatigue or difficulty focusing, making reading a slower process than it normally would be. Your child may have issues with eye tracking, visual fixation, or other crucial visual skills.
- They Reverse Letters Like “b” into “d”
Letter reversal can be a common part of early language development, even for children with no visual or learning difficulties. However, if these problems continue beyond age seven, your child may have visual perception issues, where the brain has difficulty interpreting what the eyes see.
- Short Attention Span with Reading & Schoolwork
A short attention span in school can often be misinterpreted and misdiagnosed. Even children without issues such as ADHD may misbehave or have short attention spans if they're struggling to see clearly or experiencing eye strain. These problems can naturally cause them to avoid reading and other activities that are visually demanding.
How Can We Help Your Child?
Regular eye exams ensure your child's vision supports their daily learning. We specialize in kid-friendly comprehensive eye exams at Anderson Family Vision Care, emphasizing early detection and intervention. Let’s work together to give your child the clear vision they deserve for a bright and successful future! Schedule your eye exam with us today!