Learning and Attention Deficit Disorders Could Be Vision Related

If the start of school has you dreading the homework wars, watching your child berate herself for being “stupid,” or if an individualized education plan has been suggested, it may be time to take your child in for a functional vision evaluation.

Even if your child has passed a school eye screening with “20/20” vision, there may be other deeper vision problems impairing your child’s ability to read, comprehend written material, or completing assignments on time.

As many as 60 percent of children labeled as “learning disabled,” “dyslexic,” or misdiagnosed as “A.D.D./A.D.H.D.” could actually have vision disorders significant enough to impair academic performance, says Dr. Monica Spokas, a behavioral optometrist specializing in children’s vision-related learning disorders in Clarendon Hills.

“There are more than 17 visual skills required for vision and learning,” Dr. Spokas said. “Doing a normal eye exam makes sure that children see clearly at a distance, but it doesn’t test all the other skills children need to be efficient readers and learners.”

Children who struggle in school often have vision problems that may interfere with their abilities to do close-up work, track and focus or aiming their eyes to work together as a “team.” They may complain of headaches or the print moving around on the page, lose their place reading or misread words. Their handwriting is often poor, if not illegible.

“Eighty percent of what a child learns is through vision, and if vision doesn’t work well it could manifest itself in behavioral problems,” Dr. Spokas said. “There may be children who will continue to do the work but with reduced comprehension and performance. These are the kids who work below their potential. They are smart in everything else except school. It may take them hours to do 20 minutes of homework.”

Dr. Spokas says that an in-office functional vision exam lasting up to 90 minutes can usually determine if a child’s reading and learning difficulties are vision related. The evaluation is child-friendly and to most children, seems like they are playing games or looking at books.

A comprehensive examination measures children’s eye-teaming (how the eyes work together), focusing (ease in sustaining focus for up-close work), and tracking skills (how accurately and smoothly eyes move together across a page of print) as well as visual information processing abilities.

“These vision problems can be easily treated with vision therapy,” Dr. Spokas said. “After vision therapy, parents will tell us that their child is much more confident about schoolwork and even themselves.”

More than simple eye exercises, office-based optometric vision therapy is designed to accelerate the child’s vision development. The one-on-one therapy utilizes specialized lenses, prisms, innovation and other advanced technologies.

A comprehensive functional vision exam ranges from $200 to $245 and may be covered under the parent’s medical plan. Parents should also ask insurance providers if vision therapy is covered.

Dr. Spokas’ practice, Clarendon Vision Development Center at 103 Ogden Ave. in Clarendon Hills, performs functional eye exams related to vision development. Her office also offers free community workshops where parents can learn more about comprehensive eye exams and vision therapy.

The College of Optometrists and Vision Development (COVD) also has a doctor locator where parents can locate a nearby behavioral/developmental optometrist.

“Parents have been to every other kind of professional,” Dr. Spokas said. “Their child may have even been medicated for behavioral disorders, but no one has ever mentioned that it could be their child’s vision.”

PHOTO: Dr. Monica Spokas, a behavioral optometrist based in Clarendon Hills, works with a young patient during an optometric vision therapy session.