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Can Your Child See 3D?
Here are some signs that a child
may have trouble seeing in 3D:
- Clumsy: spills milk when pouring, trips while walking, has accidents while riding a bicycle or has trouble learning how to ride a bicycle
- Scared of escalators, going down stairs, climbing play structures, or avoids them all together
- Has difficulty hitting or catching a ball
Sometimes difficulty seeing 3D  can be a sign of vision problems that interfere with sports performance and even reading and learning.
In addition, if your child has had surgery for an eye turn or has lazy eye (amblyopia), he or she may have trouble seeing 3D.
In many cases, we are able to help your child develop the visual skills necessary to see 3D, even if he or she has had eye surgery or has lazy eye.
 If you suspect your child has trouble seeing 3D, call today to schedule a developmental vision evaluation: (301) 951-0320 or Request an Appointment online.
To learn more about the 3D's of Stereoscopic 3D viewing: Discomfort-Dizziness-Lack of Depth, visit: www.3Deyehealth.org
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Hope for Struggling Students  The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) released a position paper titled, "Optometric Care of the Struggling Student: For Parents, Educators and Other Professionals."
Some of the key points addressed include:
Even if a child is able to see the 20/20 letters, he or she may have a problem with eye focusing or eye teaming.
The typical student with an eye focusing or eye teaming disorder will often experience fatigue, loss of place when reading, and difficulty completing assignments.
Other common symptoms include skipping small words, rereading sentences, inserting words that do not exist in the text and experiencing decreasing comprehension the longer that he or she reads.
 The position paper concludes that if a problem is found, then effective treatment should be prescribed. Timely identification and treatment of eye focusing and teaming problems can remove a potential obstacle that may restrict a child from performing at his or her full potential.
The good news is that vision problems of this nature are treatable at any age.
For more information about the critical link between vision and learning visit www.VisionTherapyDC.com or call our office at 301-951-0320. You can also Request an Appointment online.
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April is National Autism Awareness Month, and there has been a lot of information in the news about the rising rates of autism spectrum disorders. The CDC now estimates that as many as 1 in 68 children are now being diagnosed with ASD. This is particularly frightening as it's not well understood what is behind this abrupt rise. While such research is ongoing, it's important to consider what we as parents and providers can do right now to improve the quality of life of those with ASD. The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) has issued a press release discussing the impact of vision in ASD: "While the search to find the exact cause for ASD is ongoing, the visual link to autistic behaviors provides some answers and help to improve quality of life," states COVD President, Dr. Ida Chung, O.D., FCOVD. To read more about the visual link in autism, see our blog: vcdcwashington.wordpress.comHidden in Plain Sight: Vision in AutismFor those who missed Dr. Zeller's March 18th presentation at Parent University, you can access the slides here. |
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8 Out of 10 People Have
Visual Fatigue Syndrome
Are you one of them?
Do you have any one of the following: dry eyes, eyestrain, headaches, sensitivity to light, neck pain, blurred vision, loss of productivity, and decreased vision at night. If you experience two or more of these symptoms on a regular basis, you may be suffering from Visual Fatigue Syndrome or VFS.  Up to 83% of patients 25 years old and older experience some form of VFS. If you have any of these symptoms or work on your computer for more than 3 hours total per day, give us a call at 301-951-0320 to schedule an appointment today or Request an Appointment Online
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Reading Disabilities and Vision
When a student struggles with reading and learning it is important to first rule out the possibility of a vision-related problem.
If a vision problem exists, treatment may involve glasses, optometric vision therapy, or both. Vision therapy treats vision problems that can interfere with learning to read, and reading to learn. Once the vision problem is treated successfully, tutoring and other special services can become more effective.
According to pediatrician and parent advocate for the National Center for Learning Disabilities, Debra Walhof, M.D.:
"It is important to remember that normal sight may not necessarily be synonymous with normal vision...That being said, if there is a vision problem, it could be preventing the best tutoring and learning methods from working."
In addition, Dr. Walhof states, "...in my opinion, skills such as focusing, tracking and others are essential foundational tools for reading. In general, if your child has trouble with reading or learning to read, getting a vision evaluation to assess these skills from a qualified Developmental Optometrist would be a smart move."
In a recently published article on the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) website, Dr. Walhof interviews developmental optometrist, Dr. Leonard Press, regarding vision and learning and vision therapy. Read the article.
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Apps, Apps, and More Apps!
 Our friends at Hellerstein & Brenner Vision Center in Colorado have shared their list of iPad and Android vision-related apps with us. You can access it here. |
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All too often, people find our office after suffering for years. If someone you know is struggling with a vision problem, please share this newsletter with them.
Sincerely,
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