A survey of visual function in an Austrian population of school-age children with reading and writing difficulties

Abstract

BackgroundTo describe and compare visual function measures of two groups of school age children (6-14 years of age) attending a specialist eyecare practice in Austria; one group referred to the practice from educational assessment centres diagnosed with reading and writing difficulties and the other, a clinical age-matched control group.MethodsRetrospective clinical data from one group of subjects with reading difficulties (n = 825) and a clinical control group of subjects (n = 328) were examined.Statistical analysis was performed to determine whether any differences existed between visual function measures from each group (refractive error, visual acuity, binocular status, accommodative function and reading speed and accuracy).ResultsStatistical analysis using one way ANOVA demonstrated no differences between the two groups in terms of refractive error and the size or direction of heterophoria at distance (p > 0.05). Using predominately one way ANOVA and chi-square analyses, those subjects in the referred group were statistically more likely to have poorer distance visual acuity, an exophoric deviation at near, a lower amplitude of accommodation, reduced accommodative facility, reduced vergence facility, a reduced near point of convergence, a lower AC/A ratio and a slower reading speed than those in the clinical control group (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThis study highlights the high proportions of visual function anomalies in a group of children with reading difficulties in an Austrian population. It confirms the importance of a full assessment of binocular visual status in order to detect and remedy these deficits in order to prevent the visual problems continuing to impact upon educational development.

Reading Performance in Children with Visual Function Anomalies

“…Our findings are comparable with previous reports suggesting that children with visual function anomalies could be at disadvantage in reading, writing and academic performance [5,12,13,25,[29][30][31][32][33][34]. Some studies support the possibility that children with unstable binocular control commit more phonological spelling errors, even when age, IQ and phonemic awareness were taken into account [29].…”

“…Previous research on refractive status and reading performance suggested that myopic children are better readers than hyperopic children [10,38]. However, other studies [25,40] do not found any association between refractive error and reading in children.…”

“…The reading speed is the number of words read by the child per minute (wpm) [25]. The number of incorrect words read was noted and accuracy (A) was calculated with the following equation:…”

Accommodation and Convergence in 10-Year-Old Prematurely Born and Full-Term Children—A Population-Based Study

“…Children with reading and writing problems have been found to have both reduced accommodation and impaired convergence. 5 We have previously reported a reduced near visual acuity in the same study population as in the present study, even when children with previous ROP and neurological complications were excluded. 12 The present study could not explain this finding, since no correlations between accommodation or convergence and near visual acuity were found.…”

“…4 Studies on typically developing children have found a higher prevalence of reduced accommodation and convergence in children with reading and writing disabilities. 5 There are only few studies published on accommodation and near-point convergence in prematurely born children. Dowdeswell et al 6 examined the convergence in 86 children and Lindqvist et al 7 assessed both accommodation and convergence in 51 teenagers.…”