Specific learning disabilities affect the brain's ability to process verbal and non-verbal information efficiently and accurately. The most common learning disability is reading disability which includes dyslexia. Evidence supports that dyslexia is a language-based disorder. The core deficit of dyslexia is the phonological component of language…

Background: Documented inequalities in access to eye care for people with learning disabilities and/or autism are caused by poor uptake of primary eye care services, poor identification of eye problems, lack of signposting and reasonable adjustments of existing services, concerns about costs of care and the low priority historically given to these…

Compared was the incidence of lateral phoria, a tendency for the eyes to turn in or out, in 45 elementary grade learning disabled children and 364 children in regular elementary education classes. (DB)

A comparison study involving 50 second-through-fifth graders was designed to analyze the relationships between the incidence of visual abnormalities and high and low academic achievement. Data suggested that children with deficient visual skills may experience greater problems academically. (SBH)

Identifies some functional vision problems and describes some assessment procedures for determining whether a child needs professional help. (MKM)

Differences in visual-ocular function, particularly optokinetic nystagmus (OKN), were compared with 40 learning disabled and 40 normal children (8-12 years-old). No significant differences were found between groups on the variables tested (refixation saccades, smooth ocular pursuit, spontaneous nystagmus, gaze nystagmus, and OKN). (Author/DB)

The interview with G. N. Getman, a developmental optometrist specializing in learning problems and disabilities, focuses on vision's impact on learning, the role of the vision specialist in the remediation of learning problems and disabilities, early screening programs, and visual training programs. (DLS)

The diagnosis and treatment of early learning problems and their relation to visual development is the subject of a series of 12 articles. The optometric viewpoint expressed is that vision is learned. A child's method of organizing his world, and manifestations of his disorganized behavior, including poor early academic achievement, probably…

The author traces the history of optometric vision training and its influences on academic performance and presents his views on the current controversy over the value of vision training for students with learning disabilities. He concludes with a list of approximately 50 references on the topic. (CL)

A joint organizational statement on vision and therapy for learning disabilities and dyslexia is presented by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, and the American Association of Ophthalmology. (CB)

This paper was part of a symposium on Reading Disabilities presented to teachers in the Denver Public Schools. (Author)

The author discusses applying J. Piaget's philosophy to the treatment of learning-related visual problems by first probing for the available knowledge in the person's ocular sensorimotor intelligence, visual thinking, and logical reasons. Then, through tasks, the individual is encouraged to engage in high-level thinking in the undeveloped areas.…

A sample of 162 fifth grade students were grouped as good, average, and poor readers on the basis of a standardized reading test to determine whether a relationship existed between binocularity and reading performance. (Author/MC)