Having our child's eye sight checked is important. Having our child's way of processing visual information is as important but often overlooked! Poor eye tracking, eye focussing and eye teaming skills stop our learners from achieving success in reading and other learning.

1. - A SMARTER START TO LEARNING -
THE [often over-looked] MUST DO’s of VISION.

2. Don’t let
undetected
poor
visual skills
put a stop
to successful
learning!

3. GOOD VISION IS MUCH MORE
THAN 20/20 ACCURACY!
Approximately 20% of our
learners have difficulty
with reading. Many of these
learners have vision problems
NOT eyesight (20/20 vision)
but poor functioning of their
brain and eyes that
holds back their reading and
learning..

4. EYES NEED TO WORK WELL FOR SUCCESSFUL LEARNING
the ‘often over- looked’ MUST HAVES of VISION include:
 good eye teaming – binocular vision
 good eye movement control – tracking
 good focussing – quick changes, accommodation
 good visual processing – giving meaning to what we
see.
80% of information processed for learning is visual

5. NOT ALL LEARNERS WILL NEED GLASSES BUT
at least 50% of kids
with learning problems have vision
problems that contribute to their
struggles!
Is your child one of them?

6. EYE TEAMING
Learners must be able to coordinate their eye movements
and the eyes must work together as a team.
POSSIBLE RED FLAGS !
 Rubbing eyes
 Reading for short periods of time
 Covers / closes one eye

7. WHEN UNTREATED, EYE TEAMING PROBLEMS -
may look like a learning difficulty as our learner
falls behind in reading.
BUT… it may not be
a learning difficulty
at all!
Eye teaming problems
are basically visual efficiency problems.

8. EYE TRACKING
Learners must be able to follow a line of print without losing
their place.
POSSIBLE RED FLAGS !
 moves head excessively while
reading
 frequently loses place,
 skips lines when reading
 needs to use finger to keep place
 has a short attention plan

9. WHEN UNTREATED, EYE TRACKING PROBLEMS -
are a factor in continued poor progress despite
additional assistance and may look like a learning
difficulty.
When we read, our central vision processes
the word, and our side vision finds the
following word so our eyes know where to look at next.
SO…it may not be a learning difficulty at all!
Eye tracking problems
are essentially a visual efficiency problem.

10. EYE FOCUSSING
Learners must be able to maintain clear focus as they read or
make quick focusing changes when looking up to the board and
back to their desks.
POSSIBLE RED FLAGS !
 holds things very close
 complains of blurry vision
 says eyes are tired
 able to read only for a short time
 has headaches when reading

11. WHEN UNTREATED, EYE FOCUSSING PROBLEMS
will stop our learner from seeing clearly at different
distances. When our learner looks [close] at a book and
then needs to look at the board [far away], their eyes
may have trouble focussing and refocussing.
WHILE…. our learner may start to avoid
reading, blurry vision and over tired eyes
are basically not a reading problem
Eye focussing problems
are essentially a visual efficiency problem.

12. VISUAL PROCESSING SKILLS
And now for a very big part of the visual puzzle!
So big that My Busy Day is working on a SlideShare just for -

13. So what are we to do?
The only way to know if it is one of these visual skills
stopping our learner on their road to learning is to
seek an appointment with a Behavioural or
Developmental Optometrist.
What is the difference between an Optometrist
and a Behavioural/Developmental Optometrist?
Take a moment to check out
The Australian College of Behavioural Optometrists at
http://www.acbo.org.au/
useful information as well as a 'Find a
Behavioural Optometrist near you' tab

14. MY BUSY DAY PROVIDES TIPS AND TOOLS
FOR BUSY PARENTS AND TEACHERS.
See more at www.mybusyday.com.au