Can ADD/ADHD be a Vision Problem?

Convergence Insufficiency

Convergence insufficiency is the vision problem most commonly associated with ADHD. Convergence insufficiency is when the eyes aren’t properly focusing together on near tasks, which can lead to symptoms ranging from slow reading and eye irritation to blurry or double vision. 

In fact, a recent study has found that children diagnosed with ADHD are three times as likely to have convergence insufficiency. 

However, there is not a complete consensus on whether ADHD and convergence insufficiency are directly related, or if the higher prevalence of ADHD diagnoses is simply due to convergence insufficiency being a less well known condition, and thus many children dealing with it are assumed to have the ADHD

Misdiagnosis Potential and Dangers

Because the symptoms of ADHD and some vision problems can be so similar, questions must be asked about the potential for a misdiagnosis. Children may not realize they have a vision problem, and become frustrated in school, leading them to act out--something else than can lead their teachers to believe they have ADHD.

Misdiagnosis can have very serious consequences for a child. If they are mistakenly thought to have ADHD instead of a vision issue, not only will they not receive proper treatment for that issue, but they may be given treatment which they do not need. Additionally, there remains a stigma attached to those with ADHD, which can be stressful enough for a child who actually has ADHD. If a child does not even have ADHD, there is no reason they should be put through that stress, which can lead to lower self-esteem.

Plan of Action

If you suspect that your child may have a vision problem or ADD/ADHD, it is important to take action quickly, as in either case, leaving the condition untreated will just lead to it getting worse, and can lead to self-esteem issues if your child is struggling in school. A developmental eye exam will be able to tell you if your child has a vision issue, and what course of action should be taken regarding treatment. Developmental eye exams evaluate eye control, how they work together, and how they focus on a task. This goes beyond the simple eye tests that test one’s vision. A child can have 20/20 vision but still be struggling with a different sort of vision issue.

If your child is found to have a vision issue, your optometrist will recommend treatment based on their individual needs. One highly effective treatment is vision therapy, which works to improve the patient’s ability to control and focus their eyes. Vision therapy is a highly individualized treatment, and it is designed to be very child-friendly through the use of fun exercises that help them develop and train the skill they need to correct the problem.