SYMPTOMS CHECKLIST

Three or more symptoms? It’s worth a vision therapy evaluation.

Symptoms Checklist

  • Vision therapy treats conditions a routine eye exam doesn’t catch — convergence problems, focusing dysfunction, and visual processing issues that show up as reading difficulty, headaches, or “I just can’t focus.” This 21-item checklist is what we use during initial evaluations to flag patients for deeper testing. If three or more apply to you or your child, an evaluation is warranted.

    Tendency to close or cover one eye

    Headaches after doing near work for more than 10 minutes

    Blurry vision while looking between near and far objects

    Seeing words or lines move, jump, or swim while trying to read

    Eyes hurt or feel tense while doing close work

    Head tilt or movement

    Whispers when reading silently

    Poor reading comprehension

    Head too close to the paper while reading or writing

    Difficulty tracking moving objects, balls, etc.

    Writing is crooked or poorly spaced

    Errors copying from boards, computers, or books

    Avoids near work or reading, or tires easily from near work

    Difficulty completing assignments in the time allotted

    Reverses or forgets letters, numbers, or words

    Confuses similar-looking words

    Difficulty recognizing the same word in the next paragraph

    Poor visual-motor (eye/hand or eye/foot) coordination

    Confuses right and left

    Difficulty following a sequence of directions

    Comprehension decreases over time

You checked 3 or more. Now what?

The next step is a vision therapy evaluation with Dr. Ryan Capouch, FOVDR. The evaluation runs across three visits and produces a detailed report scoring 17 visual skills against age-appropriate norms. After the evaluation, you’ll know whether vision therapy is the right path — and if it is, exactly what your unit will look like and what it will cost.

Three ways to schedule:
Call us: (701) 404-9096
Email us: hello@lumen.vision
Book online

If you’d like to learn more before scheduling, see our vision therapy FAQ, our 5-step process, or research on vision therapy effectiveness.

Adults: A different set of symptoms.

The checklist above is calibrated for children and teenagers. Adult vision therapy patients — especially post-concussion patients — typically present with these symptoms instead:

  • Persistent headache or dizziness after a concussion or whiplash

  • Difficulty driving at night or in heavy traffic

  • Double vision, even briefly

  • Eye strain and fatigue with computer or reading work

  • Words or letters that “swim” or “shimmer” on the page

  • Balance issues or motion sensitivity

  • Light sensitivity that’s new or worse

  • Difficulty maintaining focus during long meetings or while reading

If three or more apply to you, the same evaluation process applies.