Helping Los Angeles' Schools

Chronic underfunding test scores, and increasing dropout rates are the school issues that grab the headlines.

Yet, there's a problem in our schools that affects an estimated 15-20% of our children and receives virtually no publicity. It's a problem that is a acute in affluent communities as in the inner city.

The problem is our children's vision. I'm saddened to report that there are millions of school aged children in the U.S. who have vision problems that can interfere with their ability to learn. Unfortunately, the vast majority of them, their parents, and their teachers are unaware of the problem.

In too many cases, I have seen these undiagnosed vision problems create a cycle of despair. A child is labeled as a "slow learner", receives special attention, yet shows little progress since underlying vision problems remain.

In other less severe cases, I have seen problems linger as life-long "nuisances"- hindering the productivity and job satisfaction of successful executives, attorneys, actors, and other professionals.

How is it that so many of these problems can go undetected? There are three reasons:

1. Inadequate vision testing-The typical vision tests given at schools (usually administered by the school nurse), and eye doctors' offices (that do not specialize in developmental and only if a child can see clearly at a distance. Near vision tests, which determine if a child can read a book up-close, are often overlooked. More complex vision skills that e necessary to read effectively, such as eye tracking and teaming, are very rarely tested.

2. Poor vision skills are "silent" ailments – The poor person with these vision deficiencies cannot objectively compare his vision skills with others. No matter how poor a student's vision skills, it is all that he of she has known. This is why if is especially important that parents and teachers are aware of the behavioral signs of a child whose performance is being hampered by possible vision problem.

3. Lack of public awareness-Despite our efforts, those of us in the eyecare profession have been less than completely successful in educating the public of these problems. Most people believe that.

• The fact that proper vision is the learned mastery of variety of skills is not widely understood. Most people assume that these skills naturally develop, when in fact, for approximately 20% of people these skills do not develop fully.
• Fortunately, most people with these vision problems can be helped through a program of Vision Training.  A Vision Training program builds and enhances those skills step-by-step that did not develop naturally.
• The challenge for us in the profession is to increase awareness of these vision problems and to assist parents and teachers in identifying those children who can be helped.
• At our office we have been working with many schools in the area over the years toward this goal. We frequently speak to groups of teachers and parents about learning-related vision problems. We also perform vision screenings at many schools to identify children with difficulties.
• Regrettably, "grassroots" efforts like ours have yet to coalesce into a strong nationwide mandate for improved vision testing in our schools. There are several national organizations working on these issues, however, and I am convinced that eventually we will be successful in increasing public awareness.
• We will reach a time when poor vision skills are eliminated as a reason why many of our children

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955 South Carrillo Drive, Suite 105, Los Angeles, California 90048
Contact Us at Hollywood_Vision@yahoo.com Tel: 323-954-5800