An undiagnosed eye condition can hinder a kid’s performance in school and other activities. However, it isn’t easy to identify whether your child is struggling with developmental challenges or dealing with a vision issue. It’s among the many reasons regular visits to the eye doctor are essential. If your little one has a problem with their sight, they might need vision therapy. Read on to learn more.
Vision therapy involves a series of exercises carried out by trained eye care professionals. It helps treat various eye conditions and learning disabilities associated with vision problems. The goal is to develop or improve fundamental visual skills and abilities and change how a patient processes visual information.
Frequent Headaches
Does your child often complain of headaches after reading, writing or using a computer? If so, it could indicate an underlying vision problem. If such headaches persist, schedule an appointment with an eye specialist immediately. They can evaluate the cause and determine if vision therapy is necessary. An eye care professional will also know if your child will benefit from eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Reading Difficulties
Your child might have a vision problem if they struggle with reading, lose their place or avoid the activity altogether. Vision therapy can help with these issues and improve their academic performance. It can enhance their visual skills, improving reading fluency and comprehension.
Handwriting Problems
Observe your child’s handwriting. If they can’t seem to write text in a straight line or maintain consistent letter size, they could be suffering from a vision problem. Vision therapy can improve visual-motor coordination, which directly impacts handwriting skills.
Eye Strain
Check if your child frequently squints or blinks. Do they have difficulty maintaining a steady gaze? Complaints of burning, itching or dry eyes are also common eye strain indicators. If these symptoms interfere with your child’s daily activities, it could be a sign that they need vision therapy.
Poor Hand-Eye Coordination
Children with vision problems might also have trouble with activities that require hand-eye coordination, like playing catch, drawing, writing or even buttoning a shirt. They might not do well in sports that involve aiming, such as basketball or soccer.
Poor Depth Perception
A child might have an issue with their vision if they find it hard to do tasks that involve judging distance or understanding spatial relationships. Poor depth perception can also result in clumsiness, such as knocking over drinks, tripping frequently or bumping into things. These could be signs of an issue with binocular vision, which vision therapy can help improve.
Joel H McGahen OD is here for your family’s eye care needs. We’re your local vision correction and low vision specialist. Call us at (717) 264-4012 or complete our online form to schedule an appointment. We serve patients in Shippensburg, and Greencastle, PA, as well as other nearby communities.