Could my child still have a vision problem even if they see 20/20?

By Dr. Debbie Luk

Aspects of vision

Could my child still have a vision problem even if they see 20/20?

Parents often have a hard time understanding why their child struggles with reading and learning. Their child may have a hard time recalling words, losing their place when they read, confusing letters such as “b’s” for “d’s”, and have poor handwriting, reading comprehension, and spelling abilities. Parents may question whether their child has a learning disability or dyslexia, and choose to approach a pediatrician.

Pediatricians will measure their eyesight using an eye chart and conclude that the child sees 20/20. If their child is having difficulties concentrating or complains of headaches when completing homework, the pediatrician may then diagnose the child with AD(H)D and prescribe psycho-stimulants to assist in concentration problems. However, even with prescribed medication, the symptoms may still persist. This poses the question “Could my child still have a vision problem even if they see 20/20?”

“20/20” eyesight or visual acuity, is the ability to see a certain letter size on the eye chart when standing 20 feet away. It is possible to have “20/20” eyesight, but still have a vision problem. Most daily activities require our eyes to perform more demanding and dynamic functions compared to what is required to read a chart. Eye sight is a very small component of vision, whereas vision takes up 65% of the brain pathways. There are four other aspects of vision that are important in daily activities, like reading and learning

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