Binocular Vision Dysfunction Caused by these Retained Primitive Reflexes

This article provides important information about how binocular vision is impacted by retained Primitive Reflexes. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

Binocular vision is a motor skill developed just like any other motor movement needed to support different learning elements as the child grows older. However, if the development of binocular vision is interrupted by one or more retained Primitive reflexes, the child may experience learning delays with functional skills and multiple subjects in the classroom.

Why is Binocular Vision Important?

As the child develops their binocular vision, it increases the child’s ability to process what they see through their visual system. Because the eyes see things differently, the information is combined and tells the brain what to do with the information the child sees through their visual system.

Binocular vision is important for developing the following:

• Determining depth and distance
• Judging how near or far objects are based on where they are in space
• Spatial awareness
• Eye-hand coordination

When a child views the world through their binocular vision, the brain receives messages about what the child sees through their visual system. When the eyes focus on an object at a near distance, the eyes must converge on the object. Binocular vision allows the child to break out of that convergence to take in a wider visual field when adjusting to a new point at a further distance away.

This convergence can directly impact a child’s ability to do the following:

• Read words across the page
• Visually interpret words and letters on the page
• Copy notes from the chalkboard
• Sequence numbers for mathematics
• Use buttons, zippers and fastens

What happens to Binocular Vision when Reflexes are Retained?

If a child’s binocular vision becomes underdeveloped as a result of a retained Primitive Reflex, the child can experience Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD).

A child who experiences BVD or immature binocular vision combined with a retained reflex may have trouble with the following:

• Double vision
• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Trouble controlling eye movements
• Difficulty reading
• Struggles to determine distance

Daily activities and other motor skills may also be disrupted because of how a retained reflex impacts the child’s binocular vision. Some of the following tasks and motor skills may be delayed if a child has one or more retained reflexes:

• Hopping
• Skipping
• Throwing and catching a ball
• Swimming
• Learning to ride a bike

Retained Primitive Reflexes and Binocular Vision

Binocular vision many not be disrupted by one, but multiple retained Primitive Reflexes. The reflexes listed below are some of the most common that may impact a child’s binocular vision development.

Moro Reflex

Children with a retained Moro reflex may have immature eye movements and visual problems, including trouble with binocular vision. 

If the child has trouble with binocular vision due to a retained Moro reflex, the child may have issues sustaining visual attention and managing approaching stimuli (i.e., catching a moving ball). When a ball or moving object approaches, not only will the child have trouble catching the ball, but it can activate the Moro reflex causing the child’s arms to fling open.

A child with delayed binocular vision who also has a retained Moro reflex may find it difficult to focus in the classroom and may struggle with the following:

• Fidgeting and attention issues
• Can’t focus on what’s written on the chalkboard
• Has trouble adjusting eyes to print on the page or on the board
• Sensitivity to lighting within the classroom (rubs eyes or blinks to readjust)

ATNR Reflex

When the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) is retained, it can impair the fundamental processes of the following:

• Balance
• Eye-hand coordination
• Eye tracking
• Binocular vision
• Bilateral movement

Many of these skills work together to help the child reach a common goal inside and outside the classroom. Binocular vision is one of the learning elements impacted most by a retained ATNR reflex. When binocular vision is underdeveloped because of a retained ATNR reflex, it may create the following issues:

• Blurred vision
• Seeing double images
• Tired eyes or rubs them often to bring objects into focus
• Erratic eye movements, which makes the print appear to jump around

In addition, a retained ATNR reflex often prevents a child’s ability to cross the midline of the body. As a result, binocular vision is disrupted as the child tries to read and track words and letters across the page. The child may have trouble judging how near or far the words are on the page, which can cause them to omit letters, words or even whole lines when reading. The child may also try to start words or sentences at the end of the page rather than at the beginning.

When it comes to copying notes from the chalkboard, the ATNR reflex may prevent the child from using their binocular vision to read small print or words on the chalkboard because they have trouble focusing on one visual point.

Grammar and spelling may also be impacted by BVD because a retained ATNR reflex causes the child to reverse letters and numbers as they read and write.

STNR Reflex

A retained Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) can create visual trouble for a child when it comes to binocular vision and its development. A child with a retained STNR reflex may have trouble with farsightedness as well as vertical eye tracking. This sense of depth perception and visual acuity that comes with mature development of binocular vision causes issues when the child tries to align columns in mathematics. It also impacts the child’s ability to sequence numbers or calculate distance and height.

If the child’s binocular vision is not fully developed due to a retained STNR reflex, the child may experience difficulty when changing their visual focus from near to far (i.e., from their desk to the chalkboard and back to their desk). Kids will often take longer to copy notes from the chalkboard, may tire easily, or will make several errors.

TLR Reflex

A retained Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) creates problems for a child’s binocular vision when they need to judge the following:

• Distance
• Direction
• Velocity
• Spatial orientation

The child may often experience visual disorientation on the page, making it harder for them to notice spaces between paragraphs and words as they read. Words and letters may appear reversed or backward when the child is trying to read on the page.

In addition, a retained TLR reflex can delay development of eye movements and visual perception. Copying notes from the chalkboard is difficult and the child may have a tendency to be cross-eyed.

A retained TLR may also create issues with visual alignment so the child may struggle with math problems and aligning columns.

Retained Primitive Reflexes Roadmap

To learn more about six retained Primitive Reflexes and the signs and symptoms that come with each, download our retained Primitive Reflexes Roadmap below. Complete the form and confirm your newsletter subscription in your email inbox to receive your packet. If you do not see your download come to your junk or spam folder, please email us at info@ilslearing.com so we can assist.

References

J. Eye Mov. Res. (2024). Persistence of primitive reflexes associated with asymmetries in fixation and ocular motility values. Journal of Eye Movement Research, 17(2), 1-33. https://doi.org/10.16910/jemr.17.2.5

Submission received: 9 March 2024 / Published: 19 August 2024

Gieysztor, E. Z., Choińska, A. M., & Paprocka-Borowicz, M. (2016). Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children. Archives of Medical Science, 14(1), 167–173. https://doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2016.60503

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