Signs and Symptoms of a Vision Problem

Take The Vision Quiz

If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or your child, call our office to schedule an appointment.

Performance Clues

Avoiding near work
Losing place when reading
Omitting, inserting, or rereading words
Confusing similar looking words
Failing to recognize same word in following sentences
Poor reading comprehension
Difficulty changing focus from far to near and near to far
Difficulty copying from the board
Poor handwriting
Writing uphill or downhill
Misaligning digits/columns of numbers
Reversing letters or words after first grade
Difficulty following directions
Performing better orally than by writing/reading
Difficulty judging sizes and shapes

Physical Clues

Red, sore, tearing, or itching eyes
Jerky eye movements; one eye turning in or out
Blurring of near or far vision, particularly after reading or other close work
Squinting, eye rubbing, or excessive blinking
Blurred or intermittent double vision
Headaches or nausea after reading
Dizziness or motion sickness
Head tilting or turning to use one eye
Closing or covering an eye while reading
Moving head back and forth while reading (instead of moving eyes)
Very close reading distance
Poor depth judgment
Poor at sports
Clumsiness and knocking things over

Behavior Clues

Smart, but struggling in school
Low self-esteem, poor self-image
Temper flare-ups, aggressiveness, emotional outbursts
Frequent crying, overly emotional
Short attention span, is quickly bored, daydreams and doesn’t pay attention
Easily distracted, unable to concentrate
Fatigue after school/work
Frustration, easily stressed
Irritability
Withdrawn, lacks confidence, refuses to try
Poor use of time
Forgetting things
Saying “I can’t” before trying something

Labels

Lazy
Dyslexic
Attention Deficit Disorder
Slow Learner
Behavioral Problem
Working Below Potential
Learning Disability
Immature

One of these symptoms may be a sign your child has a vision problem as the root of his or her difficulties. Many of the vision problems will not be detected during a school vision screening, school physical or routine pediatric health evaluation. Schedule a binocular visual efficiency exam in our office to determine the full depth of the vision problem. If necessary, an individualized program of lenses, visual hygiene and/or vision therapy will be developed to meet your specific needs and goals.