According to experts, 80% of learning is visual, which means that if your child is having vision problems, his or her learning can be affected.

To ensure that your children have the visual resources they need to grow and develop normally, their eyes and vision should be checked by an eye doctor at certain stages of their development, starting at 6 months old (learn more about the InfantSEE program - Dr. Rouw is an InfantSEE provider).

The toddler and preschool age is a period where children experience drastic growth in intellectual and motor skills. During this time they will develop the fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination and perceptual abilities that will prepare them to read and write, play sports, and participate in creative activities such as drawing, sculpting, or building. This is all dependent upon good vision and visual processes.

This is the age when parents should be on the lookout for signs of lazy eye (amblyopia) – when one eye doesn’t see clearly, or crossed eyes (strabismus) – when one or both eyes turns inward or outward. The earlier these conditions are treated, the higher the success rate.

Preschool Vision Examinations

Undetected or uncorrected vision problems can cause children and teens to suffer academically, socially, and personally. If your child is having trouble in school there could be an underlying vision problem. Proper learning, motor development, reading, and many other skills are dependent upon not only good vision, but also the ability of your eyes to work together.

Comprehensive Eye Exams for School-Aged Children

In addition to good eye site (20/20 vision), proper eye tracking (ocular motility), eye teaming (binocular vision), and eye focusing (accommodation) skills are needed for accurate and efficient vision. Children who have inadequate visual skills will often exhibit difficulties with reading and writing and may experience frustration and even behavioral problems. Often they don’t know that the vision they are experiencing is abnormal, so they aren’t able to express that they need help.

Learn more about Visual Skills and Conditions and how Vision can affect Learning. And download our Visual Symptoms Checklist to see if your children is experiencing a learning-related vision problem.