Considering that 80 percent of the information we process is visual, it’s not surprising that a vision problem can have a big impact on learning.

When a student learns to read, for example, not being able to see clearly means the student might have trouble seeing what’s on a page and remembering letters and numbers. Having blurry or double vision can cause headaches, reduce comprehension and prevent students from reading for extended periods of time.

Students with vision problems spend too much time deciphering each specific word, instead of visualizing words and the overall message as they read. This is hard on the child and makes it more challenging to keep up with their peers, which leads to other issues such as the student feeling frustrated and alone.

Good vision is also important for writing composition because it requires students to have the skills to organize and re-organize what they want to say in their heads. If they can’t see what they’re writing, this will be an impossible task that will slow them down and cause them stress.

Students with vision problems can often be seen counting on their fingers or counting out loud. These students often do poorly on timed tests, putting them at a great disadvantage.

Be sure to have your local eye doctor exam your child’s vision to make sure he or she is set for success on the first day of school.