A study funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National
Institutes of Health, has shown that hyperopia in preschool children is
associated with significantly worse performance on a test of early literacy.
The results of the Vision in Preschoolers–Hyperopia in Preschoolers (VIP–HIP)
study, which compared 4 and 5 year old children with uncorrected hyperopia to
children with normal vision, found that children with moderate hyperopia-3 to 6
diopters of correction-did significantly worse on the Test of Preschool Early
Literacy (TOPEL) than their “normal vision” peers. A diopter is the lens power
needed to correct vision to normal. The higher the diopter, the worse the
hyperopia. This study suggests that an
untreated vision problem in preschool, in this case one that makes it harder
for children to see things up close, can create literacy deficits that affect
grade school readiness. In most children with hyperopia, the condition is
mild and has little impact on vision. A small number of preschool children have
high hyperopia-more than 6 diopters-that is corrected with eyeglasses. It’s
estimated that 4-14% have moderate hyperopia, which often goes undiagnosed and
untreated. The results revealed significantly worse performance on the TOPEL
among children with uncorrected moderate hyperopia, especially those who also
had reduced near visual function, including clarity of binocular vision and
depth perception.
If you or someone you know has a school
age child who has not had an eye exam, please make sure they are evaluated for
vision problems as this can affect their reading readiness, literacy and
overall school performance. Please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ or facebook.com/doctorandassociates
to schedule an appointment.
Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings
Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton,
Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.
