Evaluation of visual skills in primary school children with poor performance in reading and writing

To determine visual skills in primary school children with poor performance in reading and writing.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 28 poor-performances in reading and writing students from 600 schoolchildren, based on their teacher's score and 14 control children in second to sixth grade in one of the primary schools of Tehran. Visual acuity, refractive error, distance and near horizontal heterophoria, amplitude and facility of accommodation, amplitude and facility of vergence were measured in all subjects of both groups.

Statistical comparison showed a higher hyperopia (p <0.001) and astigmatism (p <0.05) in the study group. Facility of accommodation and vergence showed lower values in the study (p < 0.001). The near exophoria was significantly greater in the study group (p<0.001).

This study indicates that children with poor performance in reading and writing had difficulty in visual skills. Management of visual problems in children with poor reading and writing performance should be considered.