About the Eyes

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The Eyes & Treatment 

Faults in important normal vision include: eye focusing, eye coordination, eye movement, binocular vision (eye teaming) and poor visual perception skills. These faults are not assessed in normal eye examinations (eg optometrist).

These small eye problems can be treated in a few sessions using the Alison Lawson method of orthoptic treatment.
For normal binocular functions to occur, a person must hold a steady bi-macula fixation (i.e. steady central fixation of the macula of each eye) regarding objects near, mid and far distance. If this unsteady fixation in one eye is found, then treatment in the Alison Lawson Centre is recommended. Treatment results in the steady fixation of both eyes, with visual functions strengthened in the visual cortex of the brain.

The work in the centre is augmented in 10 one hour sessions on the LASD machine followed by strict homework exercises, including simple eye exercises and remedial school work - spelling, learning tables, training visual memory, writing and drawing.

Without this treatment no tutoring in spelling, reading, maths, and so on, will help the basic problem in the visual cortex of the brain. We therefore must first examine the person with dyslexia to determine if there is unsteady fixation in one or other eye, and indeed if the eyes are healthy, then we can proceed with treatment.

Sadly people with this problem of visual dyslexia can never reach their full potential. Without treatment, there are significant limitations in the development of aspects associated with speech, reading, writing and numeracy. There can lead to secondary behavioural problems such as poor self esteem and frustration.
Unless a teacher or parent is skilled in the identification of the faults in vision, a child may be misdiagnosed and frequently regarded as lazy, forgetful and inattentive, or even slow, thick or stupid. Thus, it is important that children be identified early in their schooling, in order to correct the eye problem and curb the negative effects of poor schooling ability.

Based on government studies, the British Dyslexia Association estimates that 10% of children have some degree of dyslexia, while about 4% will be affected severely. Most will need some specialist support at some time during their school life, but the most severely affected may need such help throughout their eduction, with support even at college and university.

Signs & Symptoms of Dyslexia 

DO a quick checklist here!

  • Reading difficulties
  • Work unfinished
  • Spells badly
  • Poor comprehension
  • Forgetful
  • Can read but does not read for pleasure
  • Difficulty reading aloud
  • Easily distracted
  • Behaviour problems
  • Poor sporting ability
  • Lacks confidence
  • Low self esteem
  • Headaches and tiredness
  • Reverses Letters
  • Labelled Dyslexic or ADD
Not every sign or symptom of the profile presents itself in each person, although there is usually evidence of a sufficient cluster of these to lead to a diagnosis. 

It should be noted that faults in vision tend to run in families, so there may be a history of it. Asking parents however, may not be enough, as often a parent will not have recognised it when he/she was at school. Many only realise the condition once their children are diagnosed.

Signs and Symptoms to Look For

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© copyright Alison M. Lawson 1996
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