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The Critical Question You Should Ask Your School-Age Child About Reading
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The Critical Question You Should Ask Your School-Age Child About Reading

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When it comes to children, a good part of understanding their needs comes from asking the right questions. If you have a school-age child or know a student who is struggling to read, there’s one critical question you need to ask: “Do words ever look fuzzy, wiggly or seem like they’re coming apart when you read?” If they answer yes to this question, chances are good that a binocular vision issue is interfering with their ability to read, which in turn is affecting their learning.

Most schools and many health departments provide a yearly visual acuity test for distance (far) vision for elementary-age students (a.k.a. the “look down the hall” 20/20 test). However, these exams are very basic, and problems such as Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) or trouble with near vision usually go undetected.

What Is Binocular Vision?

Binocular vision refers to the ability of the eyes to work together to create one clear visual image. Even if a child passed the vision screening with a 20/20 score, they could still have an undiagnosed binocular vision problem. This issue is a serious obstacle to learning, as it impacts the way the eyes coordinate and focus on printed words when reading. If fact, according to a recent study in the Journal of Optometry, children who qualify for an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) are much more likely to have binocular vision issues that are influencing their learning.

How Binocular Vision Affects Reading

One of the most foundational elements of vision is eye coordination. When the eyes aren’t lining up properly, close tasks such as reading become very difficult. This is particularly true for children, who already struggle with focusing and sitting still. For many children with undiagnosed binocular vision problems, the printed words on the page overlap. As their brains try to adjust and overcome this issue, the effort often results in headaches and dizziness, emotional problems and behaviors similar to those displayed by children with ADD/ADHD.

Is Your Child Struggling With Reading?

It may surprise you to learn that most children who see print in double never mention it to their parents. This is due to the simple fact that, to them, the way they see words is “normal” because they’ve never known any different. If your child is struggling with reading or has other learning/behavioral issues in school, take the time to schedule a comprehensive NeuroVisual Examination to determine if the eyes are the root of the problem. Call us today at (248) 258-9000 or fill out our online BVD questionnaire.

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Dr. Sandy DiPonio earned her optometry degree from Illinois College of Optometry in 1996. She is a highly skilled and experienced eye care professional dedicated to giving her patients of all ages excellent and compassionate care. She has a wide variety of experience in binocular vision, pediatric and adult eye care, ocular disease and contact lens fitting. She strives to provide each of her patients the best quality of life they can achieve with their vision through knowledge and education of treatment options.

Dr. DiPonio is a member of the American Optometric Society and Michigan Optometric Society.

Dr. Sally Hoey has been practicing optometry since graduating from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001. During her time in optometry school, she developed an interest in binocular vision, culminating in a senior thesis involving binocular vision.

Prior to joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, Dr. Hoey specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of vision-related learning problems as well as other binocular vision disorders. Her other areas of interest include specialty contact lens fittings and treating dry eye. Dr. Hoey strives to provide her patients with clear, comfortable vision while meeting their individual needs at the same time.

Dr. Hoey had the opportunity to provide eye care on an optometric mission trip to Guyana, South America and vision screenings at a local medical clinic. She is a member of the American Optometric Association, Michigan Optometric Association, Metropolitan Detroit Optometric Society and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

Dr. Jennifer Place graduated with honors from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001.

Before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, she specialized in treating pediatric and adult patients with binocular vision disorders and vision-related learning problems, as well as fitting specialty contact lenses and managing various types of ocular disease. She enjoys working with patients with unique visual needs, and she takes great pride in providing all patients with highly customized care.

Dr. Place has volunteered for Opening Eyes, a program that provides eye exams to the athletes of the Michigan Special Olympics, and she participated in an international mission to St. Lucia to provide eye care to those in need. Dr. Place is a member of the Detroit Optometric Society, the Michigan Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, the College of Vision Development, and the Optometric Extension Program Foundation.

Dr. Mary Jo Ference has been practicing optometry since 1990 upon graduating from Ferris State University- Michigan College of Optometry, and is certified in Low Vision Rehabilitation. She has worked at Sinai-Grace Hospital systems for over 20 years before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan in 2013 to work with binocular vision disorders. Her clinical areas of expertise include visual rehabilitation of pediatric and adult patients who have suffered from brain trauma, injury or disease. She has taught both optometry and ophthalmology residents at Sinai Grace Hospital. Dr. Ference has sat on numerous boards, including Sinai Grace Hospital, Berry Out-Patient Surgical Center, and Seedlings Braille Books for the Blind. She is actively involved in area school districts to provide education, training and access for students, teachers, OT’s and PT’s to eye care service rehabilitation information. Dr. Ference has lectured extensively nationally and internationally.

Dr. Debby Feinberg began practicing Optometry in Oakland County in 1983, upon graduating from Illinois College of Optometry. She joined her father, Dr. Paul C. Feinberg, at Mall Optical Center, which was located in Summit Place Mall.

Since 1995 Dr. Feinberg has been developing the field of NeuroVisual Medicine which is the optometric subspecialty that identifies and treats neurological / medical symptoms that originate directly or indirectly in the visual system.

Dr. Feinberg has been performing pioneering work with Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), a condition where a vision misalignment (frequently subtle) creates difficulties with the two eyes working together to create a single 3-dimensional image, and difficulties with the two eyes following that image as it moves.

The symptoms caused by BVD are not usually associated with problems with the visual system, and include headache, dizziness, anxiety and panic, persistent post-concussive symptoms, gait instability and balance problems, frequent falls, neck pain, motion sickness, nausea, and reading and learning problems.

In 2004. Dr. Feinberg established Vision Specialists of Birmingham, specifically designing the practice to accommodate the needs of the NeuroVisual Medicine patient.

In 2011, the office moved to its current location in Bloomfield Hills and updated its name to Vision Specialists of Michigan.