VISION THERAPY (TEACHERS)

EDUCATOR'S CHECKLIST

Download the checklist below in pdf format

OBSERVABLE CLUES TO CLASSROOM VISION PROBLEMS

1. APPEARANCE OF EYES

One eye turns in or out at any time
Reddened eyes or lids
Eyes water excessively
Encrusted eyelids
Frequent styes on lids

2. COMPLAINTS WHEN USING EYES AT DESK

Headaches in forehead or temples
Burning or itching after reading or desk work
Nausea or dizziness
Print blurs after reading a short time

3. BEHAVIOURAL SIGNS OF VISUAL PROBLEMS

EYE MOVEMENT ABILITIES (ocular motility)
Head turns as reads across the page
Loses place often during reading
Needs finger or marker to keep place
Displays short attention span in reading or copying
Too frequently omits words
Repeatedly omits small words
Writes up or down hill on paper
Rereads or skips lines unknowingly
Orients drawing poorly on page

EYE TEAMING ABILITIES (binocularity)
Complains of seeing double (diplopia)
Repeats letters within words
Omits letters, numbers or phrases
Misaligns digits in number columns
Squints, closes or covers one eye
Tilts head extremely while working at desk
Odd working posture at desk

EYE-HAND CO-ORDINATION ABILITIES

Must feel things “got the idea”
Eyes not used to ‘steer’ hand movements (extreme lack orientation, placement of words or drawings on page)
Writes crookedly, poorly spaced; can’t stay on ruled lines
Misaligns both horizontal and vertical series of numbers

Uses hand or fingers to control spacing and alignment on page
Repeatedly confuses left-right directions
VISUAL FORM PERCEPTION (visual comparison, visual imagery, visualisation)
Fails to recognise same word in next sentence
Reverses letters and/or words in writing & copying
Difficulty recognising minor differences
Repeatedly confuses words with similar beginnings and endings
Fails to visualise what is read silently or aloud
Whispers to self for reinforcement while reading silently
Uses ‘drawing with fingers’ to decide similarities differences

REFRACTIVE STATUS (nearsightedness, longsightedness, focus problems etc)
Quickly loses interest in reading
Blinks excessively at desk tasks &/or reading
Holds book too closely; face too close to desk
Avoids near-centred tasks
Closes or covers one eye when reading or doing desk work
Makes mistakes in copying –board to paper, page to paper
Squints to see board or asks to move closer
Rubs eyes during or after short periods of visual activity
Tires easily; blinks to make board clear after reading or writing

David Evian Behavioural Optometrist
203 Pacific Highway St Leonards
NSW 2065 (02) 9436 4395
www.davidevian.com