Saturday, October 20, 2012

60% of learning disabled students failed two or more binocular vision tests



The College of Optometrists in Vision Development  (COVD), of which Dr. Randhawa a member, is the world's leading organization devoted to the study and treatment of developmental visual problems which can often be treated with vision therapy and which often impact a child's ability to learn and do well in school.
Right now, the COVD annual meeting is happening in Texas and very important research done by the University of Waterloo on the connection between binocular vision problems and learning was presented yesterday. This is how the COVD website reported on the study:
Drs. Lisa Christian, Angela Peddle, and 4th year students Shannon Pennifeod and Beth Schellenberg presented the preliminary results of a very important study.

The doctors and students from Waterloo School of Optometry reviewed the records of young patients, all of whom  had been identified as learning disabled by the district school board.  Before writing an individual education plan (IEP) for each, the school board advised that each student have a comprehensive vision examination performed by the pediatric service of Waterloo School of Optometry.
The records of 68 students ranging in age from 6-12 years were reviewed.  None of them had ever had a previous eye exam.  Children requiring spectacles were not included in the study.  The number of vision problems discovered in this population was astounding.
  • 43% had reduced stereo vision
Six measurements of binocularity were obtained; 60% of patients failed two or more of those tests.
Children with reading problems who require individual education plans are at high risk for vision problems. What would have happened if these children were not referred for a comprehensive vision examination?  They would have continued to struggle with undiagnosed vision problems.  We need comprehensive vision examinations for ALL children entering school.  Many of theses children will also require vision therapy.
Does your child have a reading or learning disability?  Please make sure that child has a comprehensive vision examination.  Make it happen.
Find a doctor in your area.
Read more about comprehensive eye examinations here.
To learn more about the treatment of binocular vision disorders visit www.visiontherapy.ca and to learn more about children's vision development visit www.kidsvision.ca.

Below are some related articles from this blog:


Feb 29, 2012
In a study published in 2006 in the journal, Optometry, researchers set out to determine whether there was an association between vision-related quality-of-life factors and academic performance. To answer the question, the ...
Jan 16, 2012
We now have a study that confirms that academic behaviours, as measured by the Academic Behavior Survey (ABS), improve following successful treatment of convergence insufficiency. The study was published in the ...
Jun 16, 2012
between vision problem detection, academic achievement and vision therapy intervention. ... The result is also expected from all the studies that have been done on vision therapy and its impact on academic performance.
Mar 31, 2012
Most developmental optometrists have stories of patients whose academic behaviours and performance have improved following vision therapy treatment of their binocular vision problems. Research studies have shown the ...
http://seeforlife.blogspot.com/



Apr 25, 2012
The researchers (consisting of professors of optometry and occupational therapy), set out to compare visual and visual-information processing skills between children with and without mild reading and academic problems and ...