Should I look for help if my granddaughter is reading from the opposite direction?
JUL 02, 2012
Question:
I took my granddaughter to have her eyes examined today. The doctor said everything was fine, however she noticed that my granddaughter would read from left to right when her right eye was covered, but would read right to left when her left eye was covered. She was a very good reader when she was young, but does not seem to enjoy it any longer. Where should I look for help?
Answer:
I am guessing that the level of vision was normal in each eye and the eye doctor you saw established that the eyes were in alignment and had no other pathology. The child in this case might have simply felt that reading left to right for one eye and the opposite for the other was called for. The principal issue is whether the child reads efficiently and comfortably with both eyes. You might have this confirmed with a pediatric ophthalmologist. Is this child doing well in school? Are there other activities in her life which are a significant distraction so that reading is not a major activity for her? Many children slow down their interest in reading after being off from school for the summer, but usually catch up quickly in the fall. The issue you describe does not seem to me to be a significant problem if the vision examination is normal in all other respects.