The child who is at risk for academic difficulties warrants special attention, because all children do not develop appropriate skills at the same rate during maturation. This applies to visual skills as well as physical and emotional growth and cognitive processes. Vision is an important part of learning in every stage of life.
A developmental exam looks at six areas of visual function. These include visual acuity (sharpness of vision and the need for glasses), eye health, focusing ability (ability to make a target clear at any distance and sustain that clarity), eye coordination, tracking, visual motor and perceptual skills. The first two are covered in any eye examination. The remaining four require significantly more time and expertise to perform.
Developmental visual delays can occur in children who are gifted and not achieving to their expected potential, children with learning disabilities, dyslexics, children with genetic anomalies, autism spectrum, and general developmental delays of unknown origin.
The types of behaviors that indicate a need for an exam by a developmental optometrist are:
We have had students who demonstrated some of these behaviors whose visual problems were so severe that they could not be corrected with lenses alone. Prisms can be added to lenses to assist in these areas when appropriate. Vision therapy is another option either alone or in conjunction with the use of lenses.
THE MAGIC OF PRISM!
A prism isn't magic. But, it can help improve efficiency, accuracy and stamina of the visual system. Unlike a lens which focuses light, a prism bends light without focusing it. If you have a tendency of the eyes to turn in, out or misalign vertically, a prism can help compensate for the misalignment. A prism is an aid which will improve visual function by compensating for a physical abnormality. Use of prisms can improve the ability of the eyes to track, focus and read efficiently.
In the case of developmental issues, a child may develop the necessary compensating skills as he/she matures and later require no prisms. There are certain genetic anomalies or inherited problems that create problems with eye coordination that are not developmental in nature that respond well to the use of prisms.
For adults, we use prisms to compensate for muscle problems that are residual from childhood that were not corrected; or, for problems related to head trauma or neuro-muscular problems.
Most prisms are easily tolerated and are not cosmetic problems. They do not add lines to your glasses prescription.
VISION THERAPY EYE EXERCISES ORTHOPTICS
Eye exercises consist of activities designed to train weak or uncoordinated eye muscles to improve focusing and eye alignment and tracking skills. These are physical exercises that can be performed in free space or on a computer - at an optometrist's office or in your own home.
There are age related norms established in each of these areas, so the exercises are performed until the desired performance is achieved.
PERCEPTUAL THERAPY
Visual perceptual exercises come in a variety of forms including toys, puzzles and computer programs that work on certain skill sets. Each activity builds on the previously performed sessions, slowly becoming more difficult. These often include activities that build visual attention, visual memory and visual spatial skills.
BOOK LIST
Some books you might enjoy to learn more about vision and development.
