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Are learning disabilities related to vision?

Are learning disabilities related to vision?

27 May 2022

Refer a Patient

Learning disabilities are difficulties a child has with certain tasks, such as reading, writing, listening, speaking, paying attention, or doing math. These difficulties are not caused by eye problems. Children with learning disabilities are not more visually impaired than children who are not.

Rather, it is a matter of how the brain processes what is seen and heard. A child with a learning disability processes stimuli differently. Usually, when we read, the brain associates the words we see with their meaning, experience, familiarity and information. Children with learning disabilities have more difficulty processing these links.

At the moment, the cause is unknown, however, there are certain risk factors:

  • family members with learning disabilities (hereditary);
  • premature birth;
  • physical exertion before or after birth;
  • infection of the central nervous system, such as meningitis;
  • severe head injury.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), approximately 15 out of every 100 children have a learning disability. They may not show signs until they start school. Parents, guardians and teachers may notice the following:

  • difficulty learning to read;
  • lack of interest in reading;
  • problems with math;
  • difficulty organizing thoughts and information.
  • Children with learning disabilities may change their personality and behavior:
  • they may lose interest in school, become easily depressed, have behavior problems, or develop anxiety or depression.

Even if learning problems are not due to an eye problem, it is important for children to have a complete eye exam by an ophthalmologist, as vision problems can affect reading.

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