Reading & Learning in BC

Up to 80% of struggling readers have problems with how their eyes coordinate while reading. Many of these children have been told they have ‘good vision’ because they pass their eye exam, have glasses, or can see clearly. In order to be ready to read, a child’s eyes must be able to perform the eye movements necessary for reading.And although vision may not be the only cause of reading difficulties, it is one that is often overlooked.

Reading problems may have multiple causes. Because the visual system is repsonsible for delivering the information from the page to the brain, eye coordination is one of the first things that should be tested. Even amazing tutoring systems like Orton Gillingham or other reading programs for conditions like dyslexia need the eyes to move accurately to fully benefit the reader.

As a part of our therapy program, we build our patient’s skills up from the ground level. We teach the eyes how to function alone, then as a team, then involve more difficult skills such as visualization and visual memory. Both fine and gross motor are also incorporated. By the end of our individualized therapy program, the patient has all of the necessary tools in their vision skills toolbox, as well as the knowledge and self awareness to know when to use a specific tool they have now gained!

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Reading & Learning for Adults

Do you skip lines and lose your place when you read? Or constantly have to re-read things to really understand and remember it? These are signs that your eye coordination may be holding you back. If your brain has to put extra effort in to your eye coordination, there is less cognitive capacity available for understanding and retaining what you are reading.

The optometrist’s role is to help overcome any vision problems interfering with the ability to read. This may require the use of corrective spectacles and/or the implementation of a variety of eye exercises.

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Reading & Learning for Kids

8 out of 10 of kids struggling with reading will have trouble with how their eyes track, move, or work together. If your child’s eyes cannot track properly, they will not be able to see the words the same way you do.

Their eyes may jump to the last letter, then back to the first, or jump through the word in some other random order. If the eyes aren’t perfectly aligned, each eye may end up jumping to a different letter, further confusing your young reader. This is often why children have difficulty recognizing a word that they learned just a few lines earlier.

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