Handwriting and Vision Problems

Children who have difficulties with writing may also have an undetected vision problem. When you are writing a word you look at where it is going, not the tip of the pencil. You use your peripherals to judge the space you have and how much room you have to put on the line. Not all letters and words are going to look perfect but there are some signs that may indicate if the child has a vision problem.

  • Big and sloppy letters: The child’s eyes fatigue easily and they just want to hurry up and get the writing over with.
  • Very small letters: Children concentrate so hard to get the letters right. It makes them feel like they have more control.

Children with vision problems may have poor eye movement skills, poor visualization abilities, and lack of visual dominance. These are all skills that a child needs to develop in order to be successful at writing. Vision Therapy works on developing these skills with activities such as tracking exercises as well as saccade exercises to work on strengthening the eye muscles. If you have concerns about your child and this possible undetected vision problem, set up an appointment at our Belle Meade Location for a comprehensive eye exam.