The Link Between Vision and Learning
Understanding Vision and Learning
When it comes to learning difficulties, vision plays a significant role. These issues refer to problems with how the eyes function and interact with the brain. Understanding vision-related learning issues is crucial in identifying and addressing potential learning challenges.
What are Vision-Related Learning Issues?
Vision-Related Learning Issues are often associated with difficulties in reading, writing, comprehension, attention, and overall learning performance.
They encompass a range of visual conditions that affect how individuals perceive and process visual information. These issues are not related to the structure of the eyes but rather to how they function.
Vision-Related Learning Issues are often linked to inefficiencies in eye movements, eye coordination, focusing ability, and visual processing skills.
Common Types of Vision Issues that Effect Learning
Several types of vision-related learning issues can affect individuals, each with its own symptoms and challenges. Some common types include:
- Eye Coordination (Teaming) Problems: These problems occur when you have trouble turning or keeping your eyes inward while reading.
- Focusing Problems: This refers to difficulty in changing focus from distance to near and vice versa or in sustaining focus at near point for extended periods of time.
- Oculomotor Dysfunction (Tracking Issues): This refers to difficulties in smoothly and accurately following a line of print while reading and jumping accurately to the next line.
- Deficiencies in Visual Information Processing: The ability to see an image doesn’t automatically mean we understand what we see. The cortical centres of the brain need to process the image so that we can understand what we see. Problems in this area usually cause learning difficulties.
Impact of Vision Issues on Learning
The impact of vision issues on learning can manifest in various ways. Here are some key areas affected:
- Reading: Individuals with visually-related learning difficulties will demonstrate poor reading fluency and accuracy. They struggle to track lines of text, lose their place while reading, or have difficulty focusing on the page. This can lead to slow reading speed, reduced comprehension, and an overall aversion to reading.
- Writing: Visually-related learning difficulties can impact writing ability. Individuals may struggle with maintaining proper spacing between words, aligning their writing on the page, or staying within the lines. These challenges can affect legibility, organisation, and overall written expression.
- Attention and Concentration: Vision is closely linked to attention and concentration. Individuals with visually-related learning difficulties often experience visual fatigue, eye strain, or headaches when engaging in visually demanding tasks for prolonged periods. This can lead to reduced attention span, decreased focus, and difficulty sustaining concentration.
- Visual Processing: Visual processing involves the brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of visual information. Visually-related learning difficulties can disrupt this process, making it challenging for individuals to accurately perceive shapes, letters, numbers, and spatial relationships. Difficulties with visual processing can impact tasks such as recognising patterns, understanding graphs, or interpreting maps.
Identifying Signs and Symptoms Where Vision can Affect Learning
Recognising signs and symptoms of visually-related learning difficulties is an important step towards addressing potential learning difficulties.
While these issues may not always be obvious, certain indicators can help identify their presence. Consulting with Optometrists specialising in Behavioural Optometry is crucial to obtaining an accurate diagnosis.
Signs and Symptoms
Eye teaming, focusing and tracking issues can manifest in various ways, and the signs and symptoms may differ among individuals. Some common indications of these issues include:
- Eye Strain: Individuals with teaming, focusing or tracking problems often experience eye strain, leading to headaches, fatigue, and discomfort during reading or close work.
- Blurred or Double Vision: Blurring or seeing double while reading, writing, or focusing on objects can indicate focusing issues.
- Squinting: Squinting is compensation for poor clarity of vision.
- Eye rubbing: Eye strain related to extended near focus often results in excessive rubbing of the eyes.
- Getting close to the page to read: This is a frequently seen sign of focusing and eye teaming problems.
- Skipping Lines or Losing Place: Unintentionally losing one’s place while reading or skipping lines can indicate tracking problems.
- Poor Concentration: Difficulty maintaining focus, frequent distractions, and a short attention span are common issues associated with these eye conditions.
- Poor Hand-Eye Coordination: Binocular vision dysfunction can affect hand-eye coordination, challenging tasks like catching a ball or handwriting.
- Slow Reading Speed: Struggling to read at an appropriate speed or needing extra time to complete reading assignments may indicate visual processing difficulties.
Deficiencies in Visual Information Processing skills often present with different problems. Some of these include:
- Reversals: You could confuse letters such as b/d or p/q, reverse numbers such as 12/21, or words such as was/saw.
- Poor visual recall: You may not remember the same word on the next page or retain information on the subject matter that you have just read.
- Confusing similar appearing words: You could confuse words with similar beginnings/endings, transpose letters within words or read a completely different word to what is on the page.
- Inattention: You could have trouble tuning in to what other people are saying or seeing something right in front of them. You may appear clumsy because you trip, bump into poles or knock objects over consistently.
- Difficulty following a list of instructions: You may have trouble understanding instructions or forget instructions by the time you go to do them.
It’s important to note that these signs and symptoms can also be related to other learning difficulties or medical conditions. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation by an Optometrist specialising in Behavioural Optometry is essential for an accurate diagnosis.
Importance of Optometrists in Diagnosis
Optometrists play a crucial role in the diagnosis of vision problems. They have the knowledge, expertise, and specialised tools to assess visual function and identify any underlying eyesight issues.
Behavioural Optometry is a specialisation when it comes to vision and learning. A Behavioural Optometrist can diagnose and treat visual and visual information processing difficulties.
Treatment and Management of Vision-Related Learning Issues
Optometrists are vital in providing effective treatment and management options when addressing vision-related learning issues. By employing optometric interventions, vision therapy and rehabilitation techniques, these professionals can help individuals with vision-related learning issues overcome their challenges and improve their visual capabilities.
Supporting Learning
When individuals experience vision-related learning issues, it is important to provide them with the necessary support to overcome any learning difficulties. By implementing appropriate accommodations and strategies and collaborating with educators and specialists, it is possible to create an environment that fosters optimal learning for individuals with these eye issues.
Collaborating with Educators and Specialists
Collaboration between educators, eye care professionals, and other specialists is vital in supporting individuals with vision-related learning issues. By working together, it is possible to develop comprehensive strategies and interventions that address the specific needs of the individual.
Educators can communicate with behavioural optometrists, who specialise in assessing and managing Vision-related learning difficulties. See our teachers questionnaire form
Additionally, collaborating with other specialists, such as Occupational Therapists or Speech Therapists, can further enhance the support provided to individuals with behavioural eye issues.
These professionals can contribute their sensory integration, motor skills development, or language support expertise.
By fostering open lines of communication and sharing information, educators and specialists can work together to create tailored interventions and implement effective strategies. This collaborative approach ensures that individuals with learning issues receive the support they need to thrive academically and reach their full potential.
This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general eye health topics.
It should not be used as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your health care professional prior to incorporating this as part of your health regimen.
Dr Nicholas Altuneg
For over two decades, my greatest passion has been helping people of all ages live improved lives through better vision. At Eyes by Design, vision is so much more than being able to see clearly or read small letters from far away; it determines your perceptions and reactions every second of the day.
Read more about Dr Nick
