When a child struggles to read, it can affect more than just grades—it can chip away at their confidence. If your child avoids books, gets frustrated with homework, or just isn’t progressing, vision therapy may offer the support they need.
Many children with reading difficulties are actually coping with untreated visual challenges. At A-Ha Vision, our team helps families in Oakville understand how vision therapy can strengthen the foundational visual skills that make reading easier, less frustrating, and more enjoyable.
The Link Between Vision Problems and Reading Skills
To read with fluency and comprehension, a child’s eyes need to do much more than see clearly. They need to track smoothly across lines of text, focus on letters, shift between lines, and coordinate as a team.
If there’s a problem with binocular vision, eye tracking, or fine motor control, the visual system has to work harder, and the child ends up fatigued, frustrated, or lost in the text. Reading difficulties linked to vision problems may look like:
- Skipping or rereading lines
- Mixing up similar letters (like b, d, p, and q)
- Short attention span during reading
- Holding the book too close
- Eye rubbing or squinting
- Complaints of headaches or blurry vision
- Poor reading comprehension and fluency
These issues aren’t always picked up during routine eye exams because they don’t affect distance clarity. That’s why functional vision evaluations are so important, especially if your child can see 20/20 but still avoids reading or struggles in school.
6 Signs Your Child May Need a Functional Vision Evaluation
Many parents in Oakville are unaware that their child’s reluctance to read could stem from an undiagnosed vision problem. Some of the most common signs to look out for include:
1. Avoids Reading at Home
When reading is difficult or exhausting, children tend to avoid it altogether. This can show up as frustration, frequent excuses, or an outright refusal to read.
2. Can’t Sit Still While Reading
If a child struggles with visual attention, sitting still during reading time can feel impossible. Constant movement or distraction is often a sign that their visual system is working too hard.
3. Still Not Reading at Grade Level
Even after extra support or tutoring, some children don’t progress in reading. This may point to an undiagnosed visual problem rather than a learning issue.
4. Frequently Loses Their Place While Reading
Eye tracking problems can cause children to skip lines, reread the same sentence, or get lost on the page. These vision issues can severely impact reading fluency and comprehension.
5. Confuses Letters or Words
Difficulty distinguishing between similar-shaped letters, such as b, d, p, and q, may indicate visual processing issues. This makes decoding and spelling more challenging, even for bright and motivated children.
6. Complaints of Tired Eyes, Headaches, or Double Vision
Straining to focus can cause children to experience sore eyes, blurry vision, or frequent headaches. These physical symptoms often show up during or after reading sessions.
What to Expect from Vision Therapy at A-Ha Vision
At A-Ha Vision, we don’t just perform basic vision screenings. We provide comprehensive functional vision evaluations that assess over 17 critical visual skills; skills necessary for reading, learning, and everyday life. These include eye tracking, focusing ability, binocular coordination, and more.
When therapy is needed, we tailor each vision therapy program to the unique needs of the child. Our programs are:
- One-on-one and guided by expert therapists
- Supported by cutting-edge tools
- Designed to train the brain and eyes to work together
Parents who come to us are often surprised at how quickly they see improvements after vision therapy sessions; not just in reading fluency and comprehension, but also in confidence, attention span, and overall academic performance.
Empower Your Child’s Reading Journey with Vision Therapy in Oakville, ON
A-Ha Vision in Oakville is here to help. With our functional vision evaluations and customized therapy programs, we’ve helped countless children develop the eye tracking skills, visual processing abilities, and confidence they need to succeed.
Book your child's appointment with our eye doctor to determine if vision therapy can help them enhance their reading skills.
Vision Therapy and Reading FAQs
Can vision therapy help with dyslexia?
Vision therapy does not directly treat dyslexia, but it can address coexisting visual issues that make reading more challenging, such as binocular vision problems and poor eye tracking.
What’s the difference between a regular eye exam and a functional vision exam?
A standard eye exam checks for clarity and eye health. A functional vision exam goes further—evaluating how well the eyes work together during activities like reading and writing.
How long does vision therapy take to show results?
Every child is different, but many families notice progress in reading fluency, attention span, and academic performance within a few months of starting therapy.
