Do your kids struggle to read?

Do you know that many kids struggle with reading and reading comprehension not because they cannot see, but because their eye muscles are not working properly to allow them to comfortably read.

When we lower our gaze into a reading position, our eyes do what is called converging. They look slightly inward at a near gaze and this action is strictly controlled by our eye muscles. Yes, our eyes move around because we have muscles controlling them. When these muscles don't function properly, our eyes cannot hold that convergence and it creates discomfort.

Does your child cover one when they read? Do they struggle to understand what they read? Do they just avoid reading all together or do they act out at school? These all can be symptoms of a convergence deficiency and can be creating issues for your child.

What do you do? You can schedule your child for an eye exam and ask the eye doctor to check your child's convergence. Additionally, you can do the following to check at home.

📝 Step-by-Step Instructions for Pencil Push Ups

1. Grab a pencil

   • Choose one with a clear, high-contrast detail (like printed letters, a logo, or a sticker near the tip).

2. Hold it at arm’s length

   • Position it so it’s directly in front of your nose.

3. Focus on a small detail

   • Keep your eyes locked on that detail without letting it double.

4. Slowly bring it toward your nose

   • Move it along a straight line toward the bridge of your nose.

   • Stop as soon as the target splits into two (doubles).

5. Go back to single

   • When it doubles, slowly move it away until the image becomes single again.

6. Repeat

   • Aim for 10–15 repetitions, 1–2 times per day (or as prescribed by your optometrist/ophthalmologist).

⚠️ Tips & Cautions

• Always keep the target clear and single as long as possible — blur or doubling too early means you may be moving too fast or need to start farther away.

• Take breaks if you get headaches or eye strain.

• This is most effective when part of a structured vision therapy program — some people with convergence insufficiency don’t fully improve with pencil push-ups alone.

I hope this helps you to understand a bit more about how the eyes work and what could be contributing to your childrens reading issues.