By Josette Keelor — Daily Staff Writer

Area eye doctors agree that the sooner a child is diagnosed with a vision problem, the better it will be for him or her in the long run. Children with vision problems will have a greater chance at doing well in school if they are diagnosed and treated before their classes begin to demand a lot of reading from them. They will also likely have an easier time in vision therapy at a younger age, while the eyes are still developing, than they will later on.

When to treat

Dr. Trisia Jarvis, pediatric optometrist at Dr. Bruce Keenan's office in Winchester, explains that it is during children's growth spurts that optometrists have the greatest influence on rewiring the circuits in children's eyes.

Jarvis recommends that children have their vision tested, at the very latest, before beginning kindergarten.

"They should be seen within the first year of life," she says, explaining that the earlier a problem is discovered, the sooner an eye doctor can help the child.

"I think you can have a benefit at any age ... but you have greater influence at a younger age," Jarvis says.

What to look for

According to the Web site for Cantwell Vision Therapy (www.cantwellvisiontherapy.com), which has offices in Ashburn and Annandale, parents should look for physical clues in their children such as red, sore or itching eyes; jerky eye movements; squinting, eye rubbing or excessive blinking; head tilting; and headaches. If the child has previously done well in school, but is recently having trouble or has a sudden disinterest in reading, that can be another indication of a vision problem.

Schools demand more attention from children and greater ability to read small text as they go from one grade to the next. Jarvis says that children with vision problems will show more signs of struggling in school as the work becomes more challenging.

Low birth weight is one of the conditions that can lead to vision problems, Jarvis says.

"A lot of children who are premature have learning problems," she says.

Who to see

Some problems facing children who have trouble focusing their eyes are that vision issues are difficult to diagnose by someone untrained in optometry, and the symptoms of a vision problem resemble those of many learning disabilities, says Dr. Dennis Cantwell, optometrist at Cantwell Vision Therapy.

Cantwell explains that parents who think their child has a vision problem should find a developmental optometrist who specializes in diagnosing and treating vision problems.

"Parents who seek the wrong doctor can just get confused for years," he says.

* Contact Josette Keelor at jkeelor@nvdaily.com