Dyslexia Answers From Visionary Eye Care

Few situations are more distressing for parents than seeing their child struggle with reading and writing. Dyslexia is perhaps the most well-known learning/language disorder, but an early diagnosis and prompt response can help children overcome this threat to their future achievement. And, in many cases of "dyslexia," the problem may actually be an eye or vision disorder. Our optometrists here at Visionary Eye Care specialize in diagnosing binocular vision dysfunctions, which frequently mimic dyslexia. They can administer the necessary tests and make recommendations to set your child on the path to easier, more successful learning.

What Is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is actually a fairly broad term to describe conditions that interfere with the ability to use written, or in some cases, spoken language normally. Since these forms of communication are critical for understanding and processing our information-rich world, often dyslexia is classified as a learning disorder. Dyslexic individuals are born with the condition, which seems to involve abnormalities in the brain's ability to interpret letters or "hear" words correctly. Dyslexia isn't related to intelligence, but can prove to be a frustrating roadblock to academic achievement and workplace advancement.

Dyslexia occurs entirely in the brain, and how your eyes process written information may mimic the symptoms of dyslexia. Visual processing issues often accompany  a visual system that is under stress due to poor binocular vision. These issues can cause reversals of letters and words; and blurring, distortion, or even "motion" in letters that make accurate reading and writing all but impossible. Many types of binocular vision dysfunctions may look like what is commonly known as dyslexia. Among them are: 

• Amblyopia ("lazy eye")
• Strabismus (abnormal eye alignment)
• Refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism)
• Visual fatigue due to eye strain
• Improper control of eye movements

Testing, Recommendations, and Responses

Your optometrists at Visionary Eye Care are able to uncover many eye function and visual acuity challenges before an actual reading/writing deficiency becomes obvious. Our comprehensive eye and vision exams can detect problems with eye alignment, eye motion, binocular vision, and pattern recognition even in very young children. Refractive evaluations and vision testing can reveal a refractive error that needs to be corrected with eyeglasses. Eye function problems can be treated with vision therapy, lenses, patching and other techniques. 

Contact Your Source for Eye Care in Tampa

We recommend bringing your child in for an eye exam at 6 months, age 3, and then during the summer before 1st grade.

If you're concerned that your child is showing symptoms of dyslexia, or would like more information, call (813) 425-9596 Visionary Eye Care in Lutz, today.