Show TO SEE These terms are used to explain child an't keep up w ith his class why a - recognized the "team- approach has the greatest chance of helpitici such a child The team should include the follow ing professionals: the classroom teacher reading consultant optometrist speech and hearing specialand pediatrician Too ist school often one or psycholokost have been left out w uthi tragic results for the pupil It is now The learnin process is far more complicated than many reallze A baby learns to balance hitiself and walk on two feet in about a year In two years he has mastered the basic skills of the speech But it is five or six years beforetechvisual system acquires all the complex niques which uo into seeing clearly comfortably and meaningfully In fact many children never do develop these skills to their maximum degree unless given the special attention needed to direct and keep them along the proper development path Much has been learned about this phase of For a sanqile history to re's Johnny's vision story: JOHNNY never quite seemed to keep up or in school with the others in play Slow and inaccurate in his respiinses poor in sport- s- marks below average poorly organizod sometimes awkward SeeniS diSilltrITSted —discouraged at times hostile-rebelli- ous - - This is not a happy outlook for any boy or by he was like girl or parent Johnny wondered this hut didn't know what to do His patents ako wondered Johnny was in good health his teeth were well cared for Ills eyes — wrIt be but had neyer receked a notice from school could Johnny have a visual problem? take him to their to THE FAANII AT ION: The doctor first looked inside Johnny's eyes to see if there was any anatomical defect or eye disease Only about 1(4 of children hay( any trouble of this kind and the optometrist reported that Johnnys eyes were healthy Next Johnny was asked 0 slow learner Poor achiever Ilis parents decided family optometrist oe tit look at and follow 'nosing target Here Johnnys eyes staggered and jerked Ile could not follow the target smoothly Neither could he look from a far ohject to a iwar object smoothly quickly or easily The eyes wavered and tooly undue time to Make these simple adiustments a 1olinny was asked to touch the cnd of a tim his index finger and here agaili correctke ailustinents had tit be made because there was interference in the hand and eye 'writ it coitrdination 2020 isiiin? Here Non may be surprised es Johnny had 2020 or siecalled clear ision! The optometrist explained that clear yision 'ink in ahilit V 011 UMW- that are required for Hv tO good yisuA ptqiurnlarirt imefluale many other ‘isual skills explaining that an rye examination uni1 lit tffinplor illilIghI ti cYaluate the entire function iii the eycs and their relationship with the isual centers of the brain ()lily then it a 'ridden' exists can adequate titmilial Arps ht taken to Correct this malfunction Th examination for the len prescription Juitim distance and close seeing reading etc) Included in this double exaniina lion was the additional testing of the eyes for the ability to focus taclimmodationt to use both eyes at the same tune (fusion) to judge distance (deptia perception) and the ability of was done for is to brain injured both eyes to point or turn to the same spot at the same time iconvergencel 0 I) I AGNOSIS: Yes Johnny did have a visual problem Ile had healthy eyes and he could see dearly ith each eye separately RUT: Ile had gether difficulty lie had learned the other teaming the eyes to use first 0 11 to- one eye then Ile was also hyperopic (far sighted) Johnny could see but it took a great deal of effort to get meaning from what he saw This Upset normal coordination and slowed the wletle visual process considerably TR EATM ENT: Proper lenses would reduce the effort sufficiently to allow the whole process to develop the condition had not been normally if present too long In Johnny's case it had gone too long The lenses would help of course by making it easier but he had already learned poor visual patterns and abilities Without further help he would retain these abnormal patterns For this reason the doctor advised: VISUAL TRAINING: The doctor explained that today we know vision is learned just like walking and talking are learned Skills that are learned can be taught Visual training is a scientific method pioneered and developed by optometry to provide a person with the correct primary visual experience in eye movements recognition of objects in space teaming of the two eyes and adequate far and close ranges of vision Included in training is the teaching of proper interpretation and recognition tif what is seen Modern visual training methods can usually restore the required binocular skills for good school and athletic achievement if the disorder has not progressed too far before being discovered The sooner diagnosi1 — the easier and quicker the recovery to use both sides of her body by drawing circles on blackboard (PASS Photo) This child learns r7: ica 4 4111 4iiiik 4!Fi --- r 1 to ' 1 :a ' 1 b a '' C:1 Nal - Q ':i The use of templets provides children with d an combinitln which is essential to the recognition ar-- ) interpretation of letters and words (PASS Photo) eye-han- '4 - -- - t— -- g--- pLa min ftacii m — 111- amo - - ow- sz- 40 WWI Jr there are others — Marys who have all Some are excellent or bat a ball if their WEE - 411(FIo - NCER SIGNALS Excessive blinking frowning or rubbing of fVCS !folding material unusually close School achievement less than general intelligence level Asoidance of reading or tasks requiring visual concentration Nate-e- a or dizziness after visual concentration Inusually shiirt attentlim span Enusual posture — poor general coordina- tion — J:tds iing of what we learn comes through our ( Photo courtesy Optometric Extension Program) v is i o n" HOW COLLDJOIINNVS PROBLEM E BEEN DISCOVERED EARLIER? II Every child slimild he examined thoroughly irior to entering schl01 There is no other svay to be silrr The sehoid rye test is not intended to take the place of a thorough professional cyamination llossever these are certain observations that can be made If two iir more of the following symptoms appear one can be highly suspicious of a visual problem developing 7 - "80 like Johnny Others - e - Fortunately Johnny responded well to the training Renewed interest and achievement resulted In addition to JidlithY Jimmies Janes Eddies and kinds of visual hindrances students who couldn't catch life depended on it Some are rebellious — are reticent shy and irritable -- t °'''''?‘Nipo - 1 (-- ri :: 141 "We learn to see-see to learn" (Photo courtesy Optometric Extension Program) we ass k wardness Slow or inaccurate responses UNDERSTAND |