ADHD: Taking Another Look At The Problem

The ADHD debate continues: Is something physiologically wrong with these children, or are kids just being kids? A new study shows there may be a third, somewhat surprising, option worth considering. David Granet, Ph.D., director of pediatric ophthalmology at the University of California­San Diego reviewed 1,700 records of children diagnosed with ADHD. He discovered that, of those who had taken eye exams, 16 percent had convergence insufficiency, an eye disorder that makes focusing on nearby targets difficult. This is three times the number of non-ADHD kids. More research is needed to determine if a brain impairment is causing both ADHD and the eye disorder, or if the eye disorder manifests the same symptoms as ADHD and causes misdiagnosis.

— American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, proceedings, April 12­16, 2000