According to the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial, convergence insufficiency, or CI, "has a prevalence of 4.2% to 6% in school and clinic setting". That's roughly 1 out of every 20 kids sitting in a classroom trying to keep up with their studies. CI is when the visual processing system is not correctly sending enough of an autonomic signal to both eyes that would normally align them at a closer object such as a book that a child is trying to read. This lack of signaling causes the two eyes to be aimed at a point in space that is behind the desired target (book or paper) and results in the target (words attempting to be read) to become doubled. Aside from doubling of the letters, headaches and loss of comprehension are very common with CI as the child struggles to force their eyes together.

1. Visual Discrimination: The ability to visually tell/detect the difference between similar items. - Problems can lead to difficulty distinguishing between p and q, or b and d. This can slow reading and decrease comprehension and learning of new material. 2. Visual Memory: The ability to recognize or recall previously presented visual information. - Problems can lead to a decrease in comprehension from what is seen in a lecture in class to problems remembering what they have read in a book or calculated in math or science classes. 3. Visual Spatial Relation: ability to perceive relationships of different objects' position in space. - Problems can lead to difficulty judging how far something is from yourself and from other objects. This can also be problematic even if something is verbally described to you or if it is read. 4. Visual Form Constancy: ability to recognize and label objects even when they are viewed from a different angle or in a different environment. - Problems recognizing the same letters in a different font. This can be problematic when copying things written on the board at school, finding wording in a visually busy place, efficiently reading different fonts, and more. 5. Visual Sequential Memory: ability to remember the specific sequence of what is seen. - Problems can affect math work, copying from the board or from other material, reading speed, and reading comprehension. 6. Visual Figure-Ground: ability to quickly find a target or object from a busy background. - Problems can lead a child to have a difficult time finding something specific on a page or on a wall or board in a classroom. Copying from the board could be affected as the child would have difficulty finding where they left off on the board. 7. Visual Closure: ability to identify an object or word when only part is visible. - Problems can present in children being slower readers and/or less comprehensive readers, as well as having difficulty with writing and math.

1. Eye Movement Control: The ability to move both eyes together to point at an intended target or follow along a path, like a line of text 2. Simultaneous Focus at Far: Forming a clear image of something in the distance 3. Sustaining Focus at Far: Keeping an image of something in the distance clear 4. Simultaneous Focus at Near: Forming a clear image of something close to the eyes 5. Sustaining Focus at Near: Keeping a clear image of something close to the eyes 6. Simultaneous Alignment at Far: Lining up both eyes at the same point the distance 7. Sustaining Alignment at Far: Holding both eyes lined up at the same point in the distance 8. Simultaneous Alignment at Near: Lining up both eyes at the same point up close 9. Sustaining Alignment at Near: Holding both eyes lined up at the same point up close 10. Central Vision (Visual Acuity): This is where "20/20" vision comes in! 11. Peripheral Vision: Being able to see what's on either side of you while your eyes are pointed forward 12. Depth Awareness: Being able to tell that things are further away or closer up than each other (also know as depth perception) 13. Color Perception: Being able to tell different colors apart (if you are not color-blind) 14. Gross Visual-Motor: Moving yourself through space without bumping into things by using information from your vision 15. Fine Visual-Motor: Writing, sewing, texting, and doing other small and close-up activities with accuracy by using information from your vision 16. Visual Perception: Being aware of your environment and what is going on around you in your visual field (the area you can see) 17. Visual Integration: Bringing together your vision and your other senses to accomplish complex tasks, like reading while walking a balance beam www.covd.org

Every time we read from a book, a sheet of paper, a computer, or a mobile device, we are performing a visual task using 7 of the 17 vital visual skills: - When we aim two eyes at the same point simultaneously and accurately, we use: Skill #1 Eye Movement Control Skill #8 Simultaneous Alignment at Near Skill #9 Sustaining Alignment at Near - When we focus both eyes to make the reading material clear, we use: Skill #4 Simultaneous Focus at Near Skill #10 Central Vision (Visual Acuity) - When we continue to sustain clear focus, we use: Skill #5 Sustaining Focus at Near - When we move two eyes continually as a coordinated team across the line of print, we use: Skill #1 Eye Movement Control Skill #9 Sustaining Alignment at Near Skill #15 Fine Visual-Motor www.covd.org