Tag: headaches

Back to School – Vision Problems Could Equal Behavioral Issues

Karen Griffith

This article was recently released by the California Optometric Association.
The back-to-school season is the time to make sure your child is fully prepared and ready to take on the challenges of school. Perhaps the most overlooked, yet immensely important part of that preparation is the all-important vision examination. There is a very strong relationship between vision and learning, as well as vision and behavior in the classroom.

Back to school Children who do not have the necessary visual-motor and visual-perceptual skills to compete in the class room with their classmates, may act out, be easily distracted or not be able to pay enough attention to perform to their potential. A 15 year long study at the San Bernardino Juvenile Hall revealed that a much higher percentage of juvenile delinquents have vision problems than in the average population. According to the study by optometrists Stan Kaseno and Kristy Remick, poor visual skills can contribute to poor self-esteem, which can lead to poor attitudes and behavior in school. After a program that addressed the inmates problems, including vision and victim’s awareness classes, the repeat offender rate decreased from 90% to 15%.

All students should have their vision and visual skills checked yearly by an optometrist before going back to school to make sure they have the learning readiness skills that are so important to academic and athletic performance.

Here are some signs to look out for that could indicate that your child has a possible vision problem:

Behavioral Signs:

  • Poor attention in the classroom
  • Not performing to potential
  • Doesn’t like, or refuses to do homework
  • Doesn’t like sports
  • Slow reader
  • Difficulty completing timed exams

Signs of Difficulty with Visually-Related Tasks:

  • Loses place frequently while reading
  • Headaches or eyestrain associated with reading or computer use
  • Words go in and out of focus
  • Words appear to “move” on the page
  • Double vision (constant or intermittent)
  • Having to re-read over and over for comprehension
  • Difficulty recalling what was read
  • Poor handwriting

If your child has any of the above problems, and is not performing to his or her potential in school and sports, schedule an eye examination. It is important to detect and treat any underlying vision problems that may be interfering with school performance.

 

Vision at Work

Karen Griffith

According to a 2015 survey of employed US adults who had vision benefits, 92% of the respondents felt that the quality of their work was impacted by visual disturbances at the workplace. Only 13% reported this fact to their employer, even though 99% of them felt that seeing well was important. More than half of those surveyed said they were bothered by light issues at work. The top light issues or visual disturbances were tired eyes, light reflecting off a computer screen, bright glaring light, dry eyes and headaches.

When I first started my optometry career I had a huge book dedicated to occupational eye care. The book was published before the ubiquitous use of computers so the content of the book included various types of bifocals and lens designs to meet the demands of secretaries, carpenters and other occupations. There was a chapter dedicated to the wielding profession and the proper selection of tints and protective eyewear. The proper design of eyewear and safety are still very important, but more complaints involve computers and electronic devices than 25 years ago.

65% of Americans report suffering from digital eyestrain. Symptoms of digital eyestrain include neck pain, eye strain, blurred vision, headache and dry eyes. A combination of factors foster the onset of digital eye strain, including the proximity of the screen, the frequency and duration of use and the degree of exposure to high-energy visible (HEV) or blue light emitted by video screens. You don’t need to suffer. Poor vision and compromised visual working conditions reduce our productivity. Solutions are available to relieve and minimize digital eyestrain.

Computer Vision Syndrome

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It is hard to escape backlit screens, computers, smartphones, video computer screengames and tablets. The increased use of  technology can put a strain on our eyes and visual systems. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) includes headaches, eyestrain, blur at distance and/or near, dry eyes, irritated eyes, watery eyes and tired eyes.

For some computer users, CVS symptoms are temporary and go away once ceasing computer work. If the symptoms aren’t addressed, they can continue and may worsen upon further computer use.

Ways to alleviate eyestrain from computer use:

  • Adjust your environment so the room isn’t as bright
  • Lower your monitor so you are looking downward
  • Increase awareness of your blinking. Blink more frequently to keep vision clear and eyes moist.
  • Wear appropriate vision correction. A small prescription can have a large impact on your eyes with visually demanding computer work.

To learn more about relieving computer vision syndrome click here.

3-D Movies

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Binocular Vision Problems
Not everyone enjoys 3-D movies. Some viewers do not see the three dimensional effect and others may experience headaches, blurred vision and dizziness. These symptoms are common side effects for a person with binocular vision difficulties.

The 3-D effect is created by placing one image on one eye and another image is placed on the other eye. The polarized glasses are required to keep the images separate. People with binocular vision problems will not perceive the illusion of 3-D, and some will experience a “visual hangover.”

Several different visual problems could be the cause of the problem:
• Amblyopia or lazy eye. This occurs when one eye does not see as well as the other.
• Strabismus or crossed eyes. One eye does not line up in the same direction of the other eye.
• Convergence Insufficiency. The eyes are unable to turn inward simultaneously to fix a target at the same distance.

Some of the above problems can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, patch therapy and vision training.