Does My Child Have a Vision Problem or a Learning Disability?

“We had really run the gamut of specialists from learning specialists to doctors of every sort. I came here wanting to be hopeful, but feeling very skeptical. I am convinced–and very grateful.”

The term “Learning Disability,” while it may sound frightening, merely means that a child is performing in school below the potential predicted by intelligence. In other words, an otherwise bright child who struggles with some area of schoolwork will often be diagnosed as “Learning Disabled” and placed in special classes.

Studies have shown that 90 percent of children with learning disabilities have problems with one or more of their visual abilities. Such children see the words blur, double or “dance.” They cannot find their places during reading and board work. They cannot use their eyes to guide their hands. When such visual ability problems are added to other learning problems, these children can fall further and further behind even though they are receiving the best of teaching. This frustration is the fault of neither the teacher nor the student, both of whom generally have no idea there is a vision problem.

Once the vision problem is eliminated, either the teacher or a well-trained tutor can fill in the missing learning skills and real progress can be made. If vision was the only problem to begin with, the child will be “cured” of the “learning disability.” If there are other learning problems as well, then the child will at least have the chance to benefit from proper instruction aimed at those other problems, rather than spending his time struggling to “see.”