What Teachers Should Know Visual impairment is a term used to describe any kind of noncorrectable vision loss, whether it's complete blindness or partial vision loss. Common refractive errors such as near-sightedness and far-sightedness can be corrected with glasses or contacts. But when one or more parts of the eye or brain that are needed to process images become diseased or damaged, severe or total loss of vision can occur. In these cases, vision can't be fully restored with medical treatment, surgery, or corrective lenses. Causes of visual impairments among kids and teens include: amblyopia or "lazy eye" strabismus (misaligned or crossed eyes) birth defects eye or brain injuries Students with visual impairments may: need seating accommodations to help them see you or whiteboards, blackboards, overhead displays, etc. need to wear glasses, use magnifiers, or use extra lighting for class work require large printed handout materials or audio books for reading need voice-activated computers or other assistive technology need someone to assist in taking notes need extra time to get to classes or complete assigned work need to go to the school nurse for medication or assistance with visual concerns miss class time to see doctors Signs of a possible vision problem in a student who hasn't been diagnosed with a visual impairment include: constant eye rubbing or chronic eye redness extreme light sensitivity squinting, closing one eye, or misaligned eyes poor focusing or trouble following objects inability to see objects at a distance inability to read a whiteboard or blackboard, etc., or trouble reading What Teachers Can Do Students with visual impairments should be encouraged to participate in all classroom activities, physical education, and extracurricular activities. Make sure your classroom is easy to move around in and free of obstacles. Students with visual impairments may feel self-conscious about their condition. They also might be a target for bullying. Visual impairments can be wide ranging, so consider each student's needs individually. Back to Articles Related Articles Strabismus Strabismus is when someone's eyes don't look straight ahead. It might look as if the person has one crossed eye. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Strabismus Strabismus causes eyes to wander or cross. Treatment may include glasses, patches, eye drops, or surgery. Read More Blindness Kids who can't see, or can't see well, learn to live without using their eyes. To learn more about visual impairment and what causes it, read our article for kids. Read More Vision Facts and Myths Old wives' tales abound about the eyes. From watching TV to eating carrots, here's the lowdown on some vision facts and fiction. Read More Visual Impairment When one or more parts of the eye or brain that are needed to process images become diseased or damaged, severe or total loss of vision can occur. Read all about visual impairment. Read More Glasses and Contact Lenses Sometimes the different parts of the eye don't work together the way they should. When this happens, people wear glasses or contact lenses. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Your Child's Vision It's important for kids to have their eyes examined regularly, as many vision problems and eye diseases can be detected and treated early. Read More Amblyopia Amblyopia interferes with the way the eye and the brain work together. The result is poor vision. Treatment may involve glasses, patches, eye drops, or surgery. Read More Taking Care of Your Vision Even if you're lucky enough to have perfect vision, taking care of and protecting your eyes is vital to keeping your peepers perfect. Learn all about how to take care of your baby blues (or browns or greens) in this article. Read More Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) Some kids may be eligible for individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge. Understanding how to access these services can help you be an effective advocate for your child. Read More 504 Education Plans If your child has special needs in the classroom, he or she may be eligible for a government-supported learning plan. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.