Does your child dislike reading?

Reading is one of the most fundamental skills, and being a good reader is directly related to getting good grades in school. In fact, it has been estimated that 80 percent of what we learn involves vision and reading.

Although it is important for each eye to have clear vision, it is also equally important that both eyes work together as a team and stay aligned when reading. When the eyes don’t work together well, reading can be difficult or nearly impossible.

The eye movements necessary for efficient reading are complex. Each eye has six muscles responsible for moving the eye as we look about. Therefore, 12 muscles must work together for aiming our eyes when reading, and while reading, making the hundreds of small movements needed each minute to look from word to word.

One of the most common conditions that results from an imbalance of the eye muscles occurs when the eyes do not converge enough for comfortable reading. This is called convergence insufficiency, and some studies indicate may affect as many as one in 25 students.

Symptoms of CI are associated with reading and include headache, eye fatigue, frequent losing of one’s place on the printed lines, skipping words and, if severe, can include blurred or even double vision.

Most often, students will just say they don’t like to read or will do poorly on activities involving reading.

Students’ grades may also suffer, as so much of learning involves reading.

Fortunately, CI is treatable if detected. Although school screenings are very good at picking up most vision problems, CI can be more difficult to detect because distance and near vision can still be “20/20.” Remember, CI is a problem that involves an imbalance of the eyes working together, not necessarily blurred vision.

The best way to determine if CI is affecting your child’s reading ability is to have a comprehensive eye exam with your eye doctor.

A careful history asking about reading ability and school performance, along with testing for depth perception (stereopsis) and muscle balance (cover test) can give your eye doctor clues that maybe CI is present. If it is, special eye exercises or prism reading glasses may be recommended.

Once thought as a rare or unimportant cause of learning disability, CI is now recognized as something to consider any time reading or learning ability is below expected levels.

Dr. Myron Wasiuta practices with Dr. Brad Church at Total Eye, 15189 Montanus Drive, in Culpeper. E-mail him at .