One of the many visual skills that we use when reading is tracking. This is where the eyes follow the words, jumping from one to the next along the line. If the movement is not in a straight fluid motion, then the information that comes in to be processed by the brain will be jumbled. What should read: “Paul likes to take his purple toy truck to the playground and share it with his friends.” will be interpreted as “Paullik esto take his purplet oy truck tothe playgrounda ndshare it withis friends.” As the eyes are not following the words properly, they will land in random spots which creates the confusion. This increases the amount of effort required to make sense of what is being read.
Another result of poor tracking skills is reduced sports performance as this is integral to eye-hand coordination. This is especially true when one has to follow a fast moving target, such as the puck in hockey and a ball in baseball. The player would then miss the pass, or not hit the ball, which then leads to a lower playing capacity.
Once diagnosed, Optometric Vision Therapy helps to bring the tracking skills up to where they need to be for quick and efficient reading and learning. Reduced frustration and increased concentration would soon follow. And as this steadily improves, one’s confidence in their skills, whether it be in the classroom or in the sports arena, gets a boost. Wanting to try something new and engaging in their life on a deeper level naturally follows.