Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional vision issues

DD had her 4y well check and her vision was 20/30. We had her screened again by a pediatric optometrist. Again vision 20/30. The optometrist said she did not need glasses yet because she was so young and it would really not be necessary until she was in school. I am concerned about this because she is reading already and if she can not see it has got to be frustrating. Should we insist she get glasses? The optometrist also said that their eyes change so fast that it wasn't worth getting glasses this young because her eyes would change again. I am worried that she may need the glasses to continue learning at her own rate. Especially since she is reading. She has complained about not being able to read things that are far away. Is 20/30 vision enough to affect her daily activities?

Since you have not gotten a response, I will attempt it based on the information I have been given in regard to my dd7. She has seen an Ophthalmologist and two behavioral Optometrists.

DD is a good reader and never really complained about not being able to see things far away or up close. It was not until she began 1st grade this fall that the teacher mentioned that she thought dd may not be seeing the board and this may be contributing to her inability to stay with tasks requiring her to see the board.

We immediately took her to the Ophthalmologist who prescribed "reading glasses"...saying they may help, they may not! Given that she exhibited other education related issues we were led to a Behavioral Optometrist, who said that the glasses offered no assistance to her. (We didn't care for this guy for a number of reasons-that would be a novel length post) We took her to another Behavioral Optometrist recently and she indicated that the glasses do help. Her testing included computer read outs of exactly what dds eyes were doing as she was reading. It gave us some quantitative results that supported the Dr's recommendations.

Anyway, I guess the bottom line is to do some research and perhaps get a second opinion. Include in your research information on the Doctor and if possible the types of testing the Doctor is capable of doing. IF you can, check out the office before you take your dd to the appointment. Also gather any and all information on child and your questions.

Good Luck!!

My vision was 20/30 with a slight astigmatism until 40itis hit my eyes and I started to need bifocals. 20/30 will not affect reading up close. It has a slight effect on reading a classroom board, and seeing clearly in the distance. I got glasses in Jr High to read the board easier, but I seldom wore them outside the classroom. As an adult, I've kept a pair of glasses handy for driving in unfamiliar places, so I could read the road signs.

Based on my personal experience with the same diagnosis, I'd follow the advice of your optometrist and wait.

skyward, what does your mommy gut say?

Yeah, a 20/30 should not affect reading at an arm's length.

Over here we don't use that system, but I see those numbers on the sides of the eye charts sometimes. I have a "425" prescription, which is very bad for someone my age. If I took off my glasses two feet away from the computer screen, I wouldn't be able to read the text on this page. I have bifocals, too, so I'm constantly asked "Aren't those the kinds of glasses that old people use?" x].

Get her glasses and a new eye doctor. Her having to compensate for poor vision does other things to her processing that interferring with reading once she is in school. As a mom with two children with visual processing disabilities, so much of this effects other part s of their lives, i would not wait.

DS4 had 20/30 vision, and his reading has improved dramatically (as in from not doing it at all to choosing to do it!) since he saw the developmental optometrist and got reading glasses.

I suspected a problem beyond the far-sightedness, since he loved books but avoided looking at them when we read them. (And he's a very visual kid.) The DO found "some visual immaturity" when he examined him, so there were some issues there. But the glasses did help him, absolutely. There's more to reading than how far away you can see things, and no one reads books from across the room, like an eye chart is. Those basic eye tests are pretty useless for reading readiness, IMHO.

Thanks everyone.

I think I will do a little research on behavioral/developmental optometrists. I have never even heard of one before. I definitely think we might need a second opinion. My gut says something is not right there. I thought it could just be physical immaturity but then these vision screenings came in 20/30. She seems to get tired and say that her eyes hurt after a few minutes when she is reading. I am not sure if this is her age or something else.

I have no idea where to find the kind of specialist she would need to see. We are in the Midwest. Her pediatrician is the one I got the first referral from, so I don't know where else to take her. Are these appointments usually covered by insurance?

She has also be pretty vocal about not wanting glasses. I am not sure she would wear them with out a fight.

Thanks again for the ideas.

I was really unsure about what effect glasses might have on Miss 7. We got them after a visit to a behavioural optomitrist during the last week of term. At this time, she was reading every night but would only read the bare minimum. If I set her a goal of two chapters, she would read 2 chapters and not a word more. She would rub her eyes and say that she was tired (but I just thought this was because she would read just before going to bed). But 5 weeks later, Miss 7 is now reading 1.5 hours a day and thriving. She reads maybe 5 books a week and is much more likely to go for stories around her reading level than picture books. I'm trying to keep track of the GER of the books she's been reading over the summer to also test out my theory that the glasses are helping. But so far, I would have to say that they are a HUGE success. And I was such a pessimist(!)

jojo

skyward, look at www.covd.com for a trained behavioral optometrist. A regular eye doctor can't find the things these doctors can. Some insurances do pay for this, but unfortunately, mine did not. My DS needed eye therapy for about 6 months and it was very expensive but it helped him tremendously and was worth every penny. And if your DD does need glasses, she might be thrilled with the difference they make and be happy wearing them. I remember how amazed I was when I first got glasses and could actually see!! LOL!!!

Good luck!