In a typical school visual screening, your child is asked to read very small letters on a chart 20 feet away. However, reading demands that your child focus at a close working distance, usually 14-16 inches, point his eyes in toward the print and then track along closely spaced lines of print. This task is entirely different from looking at a wall chart across the room one eye at a time. The visual skills needed for reading are not adequately evaluated in a typical school screening. When your child has difficulty learning to read or strongly resists assigned reading, it may be because he or she has not developed the necessary visual skills.
Tracking is the ability to move the eyes smoothly and accurately along a line of print.
Focusing is the ability to keep the words clearly in focus as the eyes move. Eye teaming must be maintained with the eyes moving so the child does not see double. These skills can all be taught to your child. These problems destroy your child's ability to comprehend the meaning of words. Tracking problems also lead to poor attention span.