1.5 - Eye Tracking Disorders: When Your Eyes Can’t Keep Up with the Page

Does your child read the same line twice - or skip them altogether? Do you lose your place or feel like the words are running away from you? These could be signs of an eye tracking disorder, not a learning problem.

Imagine trying to read a sentence while your eyes are riding a rollercoaster. That’s what life feels like with an eye tracking disorder—where your vision system just can’t stay on track.

In this post, you’ll learn how eye tracking works, what can go wrong, how it affects everything from reading to sports, and - most importantly - how it can be fixed. This condition is one of the most misinterpreted causes of poor academic performance in kids and work struggles in adults.

What is an Eye Tracking Disorder?

Eye tracking, or oculomotor control, is your ability to smoothly and accurately move your eyes from one point to another - like jumping from word to word or line to line. When that mechanism falters, your eyes either overshoot, lose the line, or can’t keep up with motion.

It’s not about eyesight—it’s about how your eyes move.

Common Signs and Symptoms

• Skipping words or lines while reading

• Poor reading comprehension despite good decoding

• Using a finger to keep place

• Reversing letters or words

• Clumsiness in sports or poor hand-eye coordination

• Fatigue during homework

• Frequent re-reading or losing focus mid-sentence

Research from the Journal of Learning Disabilities found that 25-35% of children with reading problems show signs of oculomotor dysfunction—even with 20/20 vision.

Why It Happens

Eye tracking issues can stem from neurological delays, undiagnosed developmental coordination disorders, or even mild head trauma. In children, they often emerge once reading demands increase in early schooling years.

How to Fix Eye Tracking Problems

1. Vision Therapy with Oculomotor Focus - Therapy sessions use specialized exercises and tools like saccadic charts, Marsden balls, and digital feedback to improve accuracy and control.

2. Home Practice Tools - While not a standalone solution, guided at-home training using apps and printable exercises can reinforce in-office progress.

3. Visual Motor Integration Activities - Things like mazes, tracing, and catching games help integrate eye movement with motor planning - crucial for both reading and sports.

4. Rule Out ADHD or Dyslexia Confusion - Eye tracking disorders can mimic or compound these conditions. A full developmental vision evaluation is key to understanding what’s really going on.

Why This Often Gets Missed

Standard school screenings only test clarity, not how the eyes move. That’s why kids with tracking issues often go undiagnosed—and underserved—until a comprehensive vision exam reveals the full picture.

Quote to Remember

Final Thoughts

Eye tracking disorders are more than just a nuisance - they can block access to reading, learning, and even self-esteem. But the good news? They’re highly treatable. With the right vision therapy, most people can retrain their visual system to follow along confidently - whether it’s a page in a book or a fast-moving ball.