What were your child’s grades like on his or her last report card? If they were lower than you expected, you might be scratching your head. Your child is smart – why isn’t he or she performing better in school? The answer might have nothing to do with your son or daughter’s intelligence. Rather, the cause of the problem might be his or her vision.
How Vision Affects Learning
Think back to your days in elementary school, and you’ll remember your teacher writing on the blackboard. One of the most popular ways to communicate teaching material is visually.
However, vision problems make it difficult for children to learn in this manner. If your child has an undiagnosed case of nearsightedness, he or she won’t be able to see a blackboard that’s too far away. Conversely, if your child can see the blackboard without trouble, but he or she can’t see what’s written on a page six inches from his or her face, your child might be farsighted.
Another common vision problem is astigmatism. When a person has astigmatism, his or her eyes can’t focus properly. Objects are blurry.
Why Vision Problems Can Go Untreated
Some children might simply accept that they have poor vision, and that’s the way things are. They don’t realize that it’s possible to see properly – the world they know has always been blurry, so why should it change?
It also might not occur to some parents that vision difficulties could be the root of their child’s academic performance issues. They might just think that their child isn’t trying hard enough, or could have a learning disability. If neither parent has a vision problem, it may never cross their minds that their child could have one.
Eye Exams: They Might Change Your Child’s Life
Scheduling an eye exam will determine whether your child has an undiagnosed vision problem. If your child has trouble reading any part of the vision chart, that’s a sign that he or she might need glasses.
Corrective lenses can open up a new world for your child. He or she will be able to see the blackboard or computer screen clearly and sharply. Glasses will make it easier for your child to learn visually. As a result of your child’s newly improved vision, his or her grades should rise.
