Experts
understand that at least 80% of what we learn is learned through vision. A few experts have gone so far as to say that 95% of our learning
is stored in the Brain either visually or heavily cross-linked into
vision. This can affect us emotionally. None of this is really
new. Over 50 years ago, A.M. Skeffington, the father of modern
developmental visual science, said:
“The
(person) insecure in his visual state will be a (person) insecure
in his ego state.”
Extending this thinking, this means
that any difficulty in visual processing will affect the development
of learning and of the person. We find that we can address the visual
processing problems with all the various tools of visual science.
Learning, Visual Function, and Emotional Problems
Does
this mean that visual processing problems can cause learning and emotional
problems? Well, yes and no (and also “occasionally”). There is a connection, but it doesn’t appear to be a direct one, and
some professionals have misunderstood this. Kaplan and Flach wrote
articles showing a connection between visual performance, eye movement
skills, and visual perception – as they termed their tests – with
mental health problems.1-4 Their results were preliminary, but clinical
practice and many case studies support the dynamics of the interventions
that they use. Research will elaborate upon that connection.
Visual
processing problems have a great tendency to frustrate the Brain’s
drive to learn and that frustration easily becomes an emotional frustration,
and then often progresses to confusion, self-doubt, and more. Depression can be at the bottom of that downward spiral and anxiety
is the constant companion of the whole process. If the visual
grasp – the binocular stability – of the world is always threatening
to fly apart, the real world can become an Alice-in-Wonderland world,
with visual and conceptual relationships being difficult to compute
or to rely upon.
The inability to focus visually and mentally
can be reflected in a unique drawing test, the Rutgers Copy Test by
Dr. Anna Starr. (Drawing tests have been used in psychology and its
related fields for decades.) Because it samples high-order cognitive
perceptual skills, it can be seen to reflect thinking disorders and
problem-solving dysfunctions. Over the past ten years and more, the
Rutgers has proven highly accurate in detecting problems where visual
perceptual processing is not adequately developed, leading
to confusion, anxiety and stress. The Brain just doesn’t properly
“get” the messages being sent to it.
Visual problems often contribute
to learning problems for these reasons, and also can be frustrating
and disorienting enough to lead into the realms of anxiety and emotional
disturbances.
What Can The Learning Clinic do, and How?
Through a dynamic, full-scope, proper visual examination, along with
certain standardized perceptual tests, a determination can be made
as to whether visual processing problems are contribut-ing to academic,
work and related emotional problems. A complete learning skills workup
may be recommended.
The interventions may include lenses, prisms, visual and/or proven
perceptual therapies – all – may be a part of the process in beginning
the healing, often quite rapid, when a proper diagnosis has resulted
from the workup. The reasons why these interventions work are neurological,
not optical. We call it neuro-optical. These visual tools
men-tioned above form one category of the five known ways that doctors
can change Brain function. (The others are drugs, surgery, training/re-education,
and biofeedback.)
Will this type of investigation and intervention help you or your
student? It’s quite possible. That’s why you are being
referred to this office for a screening. The screening lasts
90 minutes and may lead to a complete workup if the screening reveals
processing problems. These evaluations are very frequently reimbursed
by insurance.
I look forward to becoming part of the team to help you or your student.
Please
feel free to call for a telephone consult to answer any additional
questions that you may have.
References
1. Flach FF, Kaplan M, Bengelsdorf H et al. Visual Perceptual Dysfunction
in Patients With Schizophrenic and Affective Disorders Versus Control
Subjects. J Neuropsych.. 1992;4(4).
2. Flach FF, Kaplan M. Visual perceptual dysfunction in psychiatric patients.Compr Psych. 1983 Jul-Aug;24(4):304-11.
3. Carmody DP. Flach F, Kaplan M, et al: Abnormal saccadic eye movements
as part of a functional visual spatial management disorder in
psychiatric patients. Proceedings of the 6th European Conference
on Eye Movements, 1991.
4. Frederic F.
Flach, Resilience: How to Bounce Back When the Going Gets Tough. Hatherleigh
Press. NY, NY (Paperback - May 1997).
Patient Comments
Decreased frustration. Sleeping better. More relaxed. Major behavioral and reading [changes] in just 9 weeks. More cooperative. Nail biting has decreased. We…have a completely different child. (5 therapy sessions.)
She appears to be putting herself on a routine, and following thru with tasks without being told. She seems calmer. (10 weeks office/home therapy.)
B.’s confidence has gone up (her self-esteem is improving).
She has been bringing home A’s and B’s. She has been scoring a lot
higher than they had anticipated. (20 weeks of home
therapy.)
Understanding directions better, speech has improved. Better grades, not complaining that he can’t keep up. (5 weeks home therapy.)
E. is a happier person. She is proud of her accomplishments and much more self confident. (5 weeks of office/home therapy.)
P. is more confident & outgoing. Not shy anymore. (14 weeks office/home therapy.)
He has become more confident in his own abilities and has raised his grades significantly. (5 weeks office/home therapy.)
Not stuttering as much. More calm, less frustrated. (10 weeks office/home therapy.)
M. has become more engaging in conversation. He is extremely articulate and involved. His piano playing and golf game have im-proved substantially. (10 weeks office/home.)
