Have your child's eyes been tested yet?

Studies show one in four elementary school students have vision problems.

Without testing, those problems can lead to a misdiagnosis of learning disorders.

Dexter Stark's teachers decided to hold him back a year because he was having trouble reading.

"I wasn't good at it and I didn't want to do it," Dexter said.

"We were told that he's just slow, but that didn't sit right with me," said Dexter's mom.

It turns out there was nothing wrong with Dexter's learning or behavior. He just couldn't keep his eyes on the page.

It's one of the vision problems that are hard to catch in children without an eye test. Instead, they're often misdiagnosed with ADD.

"They act out because they're not comfortable in a classroom setting and many of these children are also misdiagnosed as having a learning problem, when it's really a treatable vision problem," said optometrist Elise Brisco said.

She said children should be tested if they have poor handwriting or drawing skills, difficulty catching a ball, or maintaining eye contact.

Dexter's vision therapy works on eye muscle control and coordination. Now his eyes are working better together, like a team.

"He's gained a lot of self confidence and he reads every day," said Dexter's mom.

The earlier a problem is found, the better, because the brain cells that control vision only develop during the first ten years of life.