Thoughts on Reading, Writing, and 'Rithmetic

The difference between cause and contributor can be hard to spot sometimes. It’s like asking if traffic is slow because there was a car accident or because people are rubbernecking. One is a cause, one is a contributing factor to the problem (I’ll let you decide which one is which).

One of the prevailing theories about dyslexia has been that it is primarily a vision problem and that the proper vision care will correct it. Vision therapy and special tinted lenses were prescribed as a way to “treat” dyslexics. In recent times, however, that theory has been proven incorrect.  Many research projects (funded by the National Institutes of Health) have contributed to a body of knowledge that tells us the core deficit that causes dyslexia is a problem processing phonological information at the sensory level.  For the full text of a joint statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Section on Ophthalmology, Council on Children with Disabilities), the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the American Association of Certified Orthoptists, go to:

http://www.aao.org/about/policy/upload/Learning-Disabilities-Dyslexia-Vision-2009.pdf

So, dyslexia isn't a problem with vision.  However, it makes sense that vision plays a vital role in the learning process. Education is set up as a primarily visual process, and if the eyes aren’t functioning as they should, it severely compromises what learning can take place. Poor visual processing simply doesn’t cause the other processing issues associated with dyslexia. Because of this, treating dyslexia through approaches such as eye exercises, behavioral vision therapy, or special tinted filters or lenses won't solve the problem.

If your child is experiencing learning problems and you suspect dyslexia, here are some steps that should be taken as early as possible.

- If you suspect vision is a factor, have your child’s vision tested by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Many schools have vision screenings at the beginning of the school year, but these screenings do not identify several visual processing issues that a vision professional could spot.

- Children showing signs of learning disabilities should be evaluated as soon as possible. Many parents feel more comfortable getting a 'second opinion' from an outside source following any evaluation provided by the school. 

- If a learning disability is discovered through professional testing, a treatment plan should be devised and implemented immediately. The earlier the intervention, the higher the child’s chances of independent success later in life.

Rachel Phelps
Clinician

Billie Calvery
Director

With thanks to LDOnline for information contributing to this post.