By Dr Andile Pieterson & Dr Ayanda Mthembu (TwinsOnEyes) — Optometrists
Learning disabilities are neurobiological disorders that affect the brain’s ability to process, store, and communicate information, resulting in challenges with reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia), or math (dyscalculia). While not linked to low intelligence, they are lifelong conditions often diagnosed in school. Common signs include difficulty mastering academic skills, poor memory, and behavioral issues . Special needs is a Broad umbrella term which Includes cognitive, emotional, sensory, or physical disabilities (e.g., ADHD, autism, visual impairment).
These often require tailored educational, medical, or behavioral support, often involving specialized schooling or classroom accommodations.
A multidisciplinary team (MDT) for special needs learning brings together professionals— special educators, therapists (speech, occupational, behavioral optometrists , psychologists, and parents—to provide a holistic, integrated treatment approach. These teams assess, create customized individualized education and therapy programs and implement consistent strategies across school and home, aiming to improve academic, functional, and emotional outcomes.
What is the correlation between children with learning difficulties and visual impairment?
Children with learning difficulties and special needs often experience vision problems that affect learning and development. Vision is not only about clear eyesight but also how the brain processes what the eyes see. Difficulties with eye tracking, focusing, coordination, and visual processing are common and can impact reading, writing, attention, and behaviour. Others may include binocular vision anomalies such as eye turns .
Which learning difficulties are associated with visual problems ?
These challenges are frequently seen in children with conditions such as Dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Down Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy. When vision problems are not identified, children may struggle at school or appear inattentive. Some children may require special needs schools if they are unable to cope in mainstream schools . Is there a solution ? Behavioural Optometry focuses on how vision supports learning and development, helping to identify and manage these visual challenges so children can perform better academically and in everyday activities.
Why we are passionate about eyecare in children and education? Our own challenges with navigating schooling with visual impairment motivated us to pursue studies in Optometry and to form TwinsOnEyes an organisation that takes eyecare to underprivileged schools .
Which areas has TwinsOnEyes serviced ? We have gone into deep rural areas in Kzn such as Umsinga , Malukazi , etc
What is the main goal of TwinsOnEyes ? To first and foremost drive eyecare awareness and education especially to those that need it the most , eg Teachers to be able to identify a child that needs to screened for visual impairment .
What challenges are you faced with as an organisation in Delivering service to communities?
The biggest challenge is resources and funding to be able to assist children with glasses . While we as Optometrists avail ourselves for eye testing the cost of glasses is one that requires constant partnership with willing organisations to ensure spectacle correction .
What is your goal for the next 5 years ? We hope to reach more schools and broaden our scope to reach even schools outside of KZN and also to partner & collaborate with other role players in the health field .