If your child is struggling with reading, they may have a problem with their vision. Our owner and resident optometrist Jean is accredited as a Schoolvision practitioner and was actually the first optometrist in Northern Ireland to achieve this recognised qualification.

The Schoolvision Assessment is a specialised, in-depth examination that goes further than a standard child’s eye test and can help to diagnose any vision problems that may be causing reading difficulties so we can recommend ways to manage them. It should be noted that this assessment can also be used to help adults with reading difficulties too.

Reading and learning difficulties

It’s not always easy to tell if your child is having difficulty reading. You might assume they just don’t like to read, but there are certain signs to look out for which may indicate they are struggling, including:

• rubbing their eyes or complaining of headaches when reading
• using a finger to follow lines of text or losing their place
• mixing up similar looking letters
• skipping words or letters
• reluctance to read
• being easily distracted

There are several possible causes of reading difficulties, including dyslexia.

Usually, one dominant eye has the job of taking in words when you read but if both eyes try to focus on the letters at the same time, it can confuse the brain, making it hard to read. This can affect development in children, as well as their self-esteem, which can have a negative impact on their progress at school.

We will always invite your child in for a comprehensive eye exam first, to rule out any other issues like prescription changes, and can then discuss going down the Schoolvision route with you.

About Schoolvision

Schoolvision is a detailed assessment that examines the way the eyes work together when you read, especially when it comes to dyslexia, although it is possible to experience these issues if you or your child aren’t dyslexic too.

A series of reading and binocular vision, eye speed, and tracking tests will determine where they are experiencing issues, so we can recommend the most suitable treatment to reinforce the dominant eye.

Solutions could range from glasses with two different strengths to help your child’s near and distance vision, a specific reading prescription, glasses to help any eye muscle imbalance, or special tinted glasses lenses to alleviate any symptoms.

For the first few months, assessments will be carried out every 4-12 weeks to see how your child is progressing, before dropping down to 6-monthly visits. The type and strength of the therapeutic lens are likely to change over time because of the treatment.

Schoolvision can benefit your child by improving their fluency, speed, concentration, and confidence when reading, ensuring they perform better at school and enjoy it more, so they’re less likely to behave in a disruptive manner.

Don’t take our word for it though, see what our patients have to say from their first-hand experience here!

Book a Schoolvision assessment in Eglinton

As Schoolvision is a privately funded service, we have a monthly direct debit scheme at just £10 per month to help you spread out the cost of appointments, as well as 30% of glasses if we find your child needs specialist lenses.

If your child is having difficulty reading, get in touch to find out more and book your child’s eye test and/or Schoolvision assessment at our opticians in Eglington.