Many schools in the United States of America provide vision screenings to check whether or not students can see up close and at a distance. Approximately ten million students in the United States of America have some sort of vision problem. With so many students having vision problems, it is easy to see why schools conduct vision screenings.
But are those screenings enough? Some ADD doctors do not think so. While school vision screenings can certainly detect a student’s basic vision problems, they are not intended to diagnose more acute vision problems.
Studies by ADHD doctors have shown that there is a direct correlation between vision problems in students and impaired learning. The Vision Development Center of Lancaster, PA, wants parents to know that school vision screenings are not giving them the full picture. Here are just a few reasons why.
Limited Testing
For the most part, school vision screenings only test a student’s visual acuity. Things like depth perception, peripheral vision, ocular motility, and other tests are not included in school vision screenings. ADHD doctors agree that many tests that could help diagnose a learning disability are not performed in school vision screenings.
Professional Expertise
Qualified eye care professionals rarely perform school vision screenings. While school nurses are wonderful at what they do, they do not have the same training as eye care professionals. Because of this, there is a high failure rate of school vision screenings. These tests have very little standardization, leading to varying results even among the same set of students.
Age of Child
One of the other inequities of school vision screenings is that they may be the first time a student has had any kind of vision test.
ADD doctors know that visual skills start to develop before elementary school. Children should visit an optometrist as early as age 3. A child’s formative years are vital for shaping how they develop moving forward.
If an eye care professional can diagnose a vision problem while a child is still young, they have more time to correct it. An eye care professional has more tools and resources to help a child with vision problems that may potentially prevent them from developing a learning disability.
Misdiagnosis
The other downfall of school vision screenings is that they can lead to misdiagnoses. Without a proper examination by an eye care professional, a school vision screening may overlook certain signs of vision problems.
For example, a student who struggles to follow along to lines in a book may be misdiagnosed as a slow learner, when in reality, they have an underlying vision issue. Schools may interpret a student who cannot stay on task as having an attention deficit issue when, again, an undiagnosed vision problem is to blame.
This misdiagnosis can also impact a student’s perception of school in general. They may grow to resent school and never truly develop a love for learning.
Vision Screenings for Children in Lancaster, PA
Students with vision problems should visit an optometrist because they may also need vision therapy. The eye care professionals at The Vision Development Center of Lancaster, PA use non-invasive vision therapy to improve visual function. Vision therapy can help improve issues such as lazy eyes, wandering eyes, ADD, and ADHD.
Dr. Arthur Seiderman of The Vision Development Center of Lancaster, PA has helped countless patients with a wide range of vision problems and wants to help you and your family! The vision therapy treatment that he developed can truly make a difference in children who struggle with certain aspects of learning.
Patients work with trained therapists who can help with disorders that may not be treatable by glasses or surgery. With two in-office sessions per week and some practice and training at home, some vision problems can be corrected in as little as 12 office visits.
If you have been unsatisfied by a school vision screening or suspect that your child may need to have a full examination to help determine their needs, contact us today to set up an appointment. We even have an online vision quiz you can take right here! Start the journey to better vision for your child now!