When children have difficulty reading, parents often think poor vision is the problem. If a visit to an ophthalmologist rules out any medical or vision problems, it may be a learning disability.

A learning disability is a disparity between a person's ability and performance in a certain area. It has nothing to do with intelligence or IQ. A learning disability can make it difficult to succeed in school and, if untreated, gets worse, causing a child to lose self-confidence and interest in school.

Identifying the learning disability is the first step in treating it. Dyslexia, a reading disability that may involve reversing letters and words, is one of the many learning disorders that can affect reading.

Exercises have been used to improve the coordination or focusing of the eyes. Since poor reading is not usually an eye problem, these exercises rarely prove helpful. Colored lenses, special diets or vitamins, jumping on trampolines, or walking on balance beams have also been prescribed without much success. Over time, these methods have tended to fall out of favor. Children with learning disabilities benefit from various educational programs, in or out of school. Parents also play a vital role. They can support their children by reading with them at home.

Children with learning disabilities need to be encouraged to develop strengths and interests so they can fully develop their unique talents and abilities.

 

From: Childhood Reading Problems
Eyecare Associates of East Texas
http://www.eyecaretyler.com/pediatrics.htm

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The eyes begin developing two weeks after conception. Over the next four weeks all of the major eye structures form. During this time the eye is particularly vulnerable to injury. For example, if the mother takes drugs or becomes infected with German measles, the eye can be malformed or damaged. During the last seven months of pregnancy the eye continues to grow and mature, and the nerve that connects the eye to the brain (optic nerve) is formed.

At birth a baby’s eye is about 75 percent of the size of an adult eye. During the first two years of life, the optic nerve, visual function and internal eye structures continue to develop.

 

Lawrence M. Kaufman, MD, PhD

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A retinoscope is used to shine a beam of light into the eye. Movement of the light gives a characteristic reflection in the pupil indicating hyperopia, myopiaor astigmatism. Lenses of varying power are placed in front of the eye until the refractive (focusing) error is cancelled out. In young children it is necessary to dilate the pupil and relax the focusing muscle with eye drops to get an accurate test. The eye drops make the child a little light-sensitive and blur the vision for several hours. The drops take 40 minutes to work fully.

It is most important that parents are positive about the glasses. They should not make a big fuss about them but they must encourage the child to believe that the glasses suit him/her. If your child is an infant or toddler, distract him/her after you have put on the glasses. If your child removes them then replace them immediately. If the child removes them again, then put them aside for a short time and then try again. You must be patient but persistent in having the child wear the glasses.

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Accidents resulting in serious eye injuries can happen to anyone, but are particularly common in children and young adults. More than 90% of all eye injuries can be prevented with appropriate supervision and protective eyewear.

Goggles and face protection can prevent injuries in sports like baseball, basketball, racket sports, and hockey. It is more difficult to protect against injuries in boxing, though thumbless gloves help.

People who must rely on only one good eye should wear polycarbonate safety glasses all the time and should wear safety goggles for sports and other dangerous activities. Choose frames and lenses that meet the American National Standards Institute standard for safety (Z87.1).

Appropriate adult supervision is key in preventing all eye injuries. Children should never be allowed to play with fireworks or BB guns. Sharp and fast-moving objects, such as darts, arrows, scissors, knives, and even pencils or pens can be dangerous. Special care should be taken when working around lawn mowers, which can throw rocks and debris, and when banging two pieces of metal together, which can dislodge small shards of metal. Chemicals such as toilet cleaners and drain openers are especially hazardous.

A primary care physician or an emergency room can treat minor injuries, such as a foreign body or an abrasion (scratch) on the cornea. Any foreign material must be removed from the eye. An antibiotic drop or ointment may be applied, perhaps with an eye patch for comfort.

More serious injuries, like blood inside the eye (hyphema), a laceration (cut), or rupture of the eye, require examination by an ophthalmologist. Both surgery and hospitalization may be necessary.

Chemicals that burn should be rinsed from the eye immediately. The ultimate outcome depends on the severity of the injury, which cannot always be identified in the initial examination.

 

From: Children's Eye Safety
Eyecare Associates of East Texas
http://www.eyecaretyler.com/pediatrics.htm

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