Group 1 Research

University of Perpetual Help System Laguna - JONELTA
Basic Education Department – Senior High School
POOR EYESIGHT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
A Thesis
Presented To
The Faculty of the Senior High School
University of Perpetual Help System Laguna
Sto. Niño, Biñan City, Laguna
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Subject
Practical Research 2
By
Garcia, Jarmaine M.
Guno, Renz Leonard U.
Layrit, Reinon Arvi T.
Quiatchon, Leal Paolo A.
Salvosa, Hazel Angela S.
Saveron, Jemoel T.
Tuazon, Shane C.
March 2019
Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
Introduction
Good vision is an indispensable component towards students' attainment of their full
academic potential. In a study conducted by Maples (2000), it was found out that vision-related
risk factors are predictors of a person's performance in school. This is confirmed by the notion of
Krumholtz (2000) which concluded that there is a positive relationship between a range of visual
factors and academic school performance, wherein visual deficiencies affect the academic
performance of students; hence, vision and academic performance of a student are intimately
related to each other (Murphy, 2017).
Globally, students experience a variety of poor eyesight or blurry vision conditions
which eventually become a barrier to learning. Most of these conditions have a variety of
severity that greatly affects one’s skills in learning. Many poor eyesight conditions experienced
by students are the refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
(Surtenich, 2017). According to The Children’s Vision and Eye Health: A Snapshot of Current
National Issues report prepared by Ruderman (2016), four percent of children in the United
States aged 6 to 72 months of age and nine percent of children aged 5 to 17 years have myopia,
21 percent among 6 to 72 months old children and thirteen percent among 5 to 17 year old
children have hyperopia, while between 15 and 28 percent of children ages 5 to 17 years have
astigmatism. The Philippines is no exemption to these conditions as it was revealed by Espenilla,

et al. (2009) that among the private school students in the Philippines who are aged 4 to 13 years
old, 19.44 percent has astigmatism, 14.81 percent has myopia, and 3.24 percent has hyperopia.
The emergence of poor eyesight among students and its potential impact to academic
performance calls for the need for a comprehensive establishment of the relationship between
poor eyesight and academic performance and for a yearly comprehensive visual assessment
among students.
Despite the need for immediate treatment, the prevalence of untreated vision problems
remains insistent. According to Glewwe et al. (2016) about 10 percent of primary school students
in developing countries lack in having good vision, yet only few of them wear glasses; moreover,
low-income minority youth experience these problems, and are highly prone for insufficient
treatment which can have an adverse effect on educational achievement (Basch, 2011). The
prevalence of untreated vision problems is not just attributed to low income alone, but more
importantly in awareness. According to Senthilkumar et al. (2013), parents have less awareness
of the symptoms of eye diseases. This is a manifestation of how eye health is neglected due to
the lack of awareness.
In response to the existing condition, the researchers will conduct a study on the
relationship between poor eyesight and academic performance. Specifically, the researchers will
aim at describing the impact of poor eyesight on academic performance of students among the
Senior High School students of the University of Perpetual Help System- Laguna.
Theoretical Framework
The research will be postulated on Sensory Integration theory, a theory developed by
Ayres (1972) which defined sensory integration as “The neurological process that organizes
sensation from one’s own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body
effectively with the environment”. The concept of the theory expounds the relationship of
sensory integration to an adaptive performance of an individual (Windsor, 2017). It describes the
process, in which the brain functions to interpret information. That information is obtained
through the help of senses where other stored data in one’s memory are also added in order to
make the body respond adaptively to its environment.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2015), well-regulated and
properly sensory systems greatly affect an essential outcome to social-emotional, physical and
motor, communication, adaptive skills development and maintenance, self-care, as well as the
cognitive facet of an individual. Any insufficiencies in sensory assimilation can be the origin or
the source of problem in the performance of a person, which will also reflect to its daily living.
 Sight  Touch
 Hear  3 other
 Smell senses
 Taste
Sensory
System
Environment Previous
Brain
Information
Figure 1. Model of Theoretical Framework
Figure 1 shows the process in which sensory integration starts as the information from the
environment was taken by the sense receptors, including the 5 common senses and the other
three. The information will proceed to the brain added with the previous information, which are
already stored from previous occurrences. The brain will interpret and organize that information
in order to make the body respond to its environment through performances and actions.
Operational Framework
The operational framework will be anchored on Sensory Integration Theory which
defines the influence of sensory processing to human development (Smith and Jacobs, 2009). As
supported by Mailloux et al. (2007), this theory describes how the sensory information affect
individual’s learning, behavior, and participation in activities.
According to Miller (2006), sensory integration is the ability to take in information
through the senses including vision, and to combine the resulting perceptions with prior
knowledge to derive coherent meaning from processing the stimuli. In knowing the relation of
eye vision and academic performance, the researches primarily identified the hypothesis in this
phenomenon. Then, data taken from the respondents will be analyzed by the researcher which
will be used in order to achieve the goal and purpose of the study. Finally, the overall result
gathered after the execution of the process is the evaluated analysis on the relation of eye vision
and academic performance.

Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Poor Eyesight Academic Performance
• Functional Vision Exam • General Weighted Average
Results • Class Standing
• Snellen Chart Test Results
A Comprehensive
Description of the
Relationship between Poor
Eyesight and Academic
Performance
Figure 2. The Operational Model showing the relationships among variables
PARAGRAPH TO EXPLAIN THE VARIABLES

Statement of the Problem
This study will focus on establishing the relationship between poor eyesight and
academic performance of students. Specifically, the researchers aim to answer core questions:
1. How can the poor eyesight of respondents described in terms of:
1.1. Functional Vision Exam Results
1.2. Snellen Chart Test Result
2. How can the academic performance of the respondents described in terms of:
2.1. General Weighted Average (GWA) during A.Y. 2016-2017
2.2. Class Standing
3. How significant is the relationship between poor eyesight and academic performance of the
respondents?
Hypothesis of the Study
Based on the identified problems, the researchers formulated the following hypothesis:
H0: There is no significant relationship between poor eyesight and academic performance of the
respondents.
ASSUMPTION
Scope and Delimitation
The research will be grounded on the relationship between poor eyesight and academic
performance of the Senior High School students. The variables that will be used to describe poor
eyesight conditions are only limited to Functional Vision Exam Results and Snellen Chart Test
Results (vision acuity); meanwhile, the variables that will describe the students’ Academic
Performance are limited to Class standing and General Weighted Average (GWA).
The respondent group will be composed of Senior High School students in the University
of Perpetual Help System - Laguna (UPHSL) during the Academic Year 2017-2018.
Significance of the Study
The inquiry would serve as an advantage to students as it would raise awareness on the
potential harm of poor eyesight to academic performance. The recommendations, which would
be stated at the end of the study, would also encourage them to improve themselves and do some
necessary actions.
With their knowledge about how poor eyesight affects their children's academic
performance, parents will be encouraged to have their child's eyesight checked by professionals
to prevent possible complications. On the other hand, parents with visually challenged children
will also be encouraged to approach professionals for aid.
This study could also be beneficial to teachers as it will help them design a better seat
plan to prioritize people with poor eyesight. A teacher who teaches subjects which involve
reading comprehension, writing and spelling, and arithmetic would also be encouraged by the
study to create learning materials that would help students with poor eyesight despite their
deficiencies in seeing.
This study will serve as a reference for school administrators as it will help them improve
the facilities of school in accordance to the needs of students especially with poor eyesight so
that they will be able to focus in their class. Also, this might help in encouraging the school
administrators to conduct a yearly eye check up to prevent an increase in the number of students
who have poor eyesight.
The study could also serve as basis for eye health professionals for this study may
contribute to their knowledge regarding the effects of poor eyesight to academic performance.
They may also use the study as a basis in encouraging people with poor eyesight to have their
eyes checked and treated.
The findings of the study would serve as a reference material and a guide for future
researchers to conduct similar studies about the relationship poor eyesight and academic
performance.
The study would greatly benefit the researchers in determining if there is a relationship
between vision problems of students and their academic performance. Moreover, the research
process may improve their critical thinking, insights and character.
Definition of Terms
The following terms to be used in this study are defined conceptually and operationally:
Academic relates to a college, academy, school, or other educational institution, especially one
for higher education. It pertains to areas of study that are not primarily vocational or applied, as
the humanities or pure mathematics. Academic is a student or teacher at a college or university.
It also refers to a person who is academic in background, attitudes, methods, etc.
Academic Performance or academic achievement refers to how well a student meets the
standards set by the local government and the institution or school itself.
Class Standing refers to the ranked of a student according to General Weighted Average in
class.
Eyesight refers to a person's ability to see.
Functional Vision Exam is a quiz which helps in identifying the presence or absence of vision
problem. The exam consists of the list of symptoms that a person who has vision problems
would experience. This list of symptoms will be graded in a scale of zero to four wherein zero
means seldom while four means always. In this study, the researchers will utilize the Functional
Vision Exam of The Vision Therapy Center Inc.
General Weighted Average (GWA) refers to the average in all subjects taken. This is an
indicator of a student's academic performance.
Poor Eyesight or blurry vision is the loss of sharpness of eyesight, making objects appear out of
focus and hazy. The primary causes of poor eyesight are refractive errors which include
nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
A Snellen Chart is an eyechart developed by Herman Snellen in 1862. The primary purpose of
this eyechart is to determine visual acuity which is an indicator of the level of poor eyesight
condition.
Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter shows an exhaustive exposition of related literature that the researchers
consulted to give support and credence to the quantitative inquiry. The researchers aim to present
a thorough treatment of the problem and a better explanation of the research by exploring
different viewpoints and perspectives that are anchored to poor eyesight and academic
performance. Concepts, findings, theories, and notions from scholarly articles that are related to
the topic will be presented to provide an extensive background of the study and to justify the
objective of the research in this undertaking. This also provides a synthesis of related literature
which later on may be confirmed, negated, or improved by the new knowledge that this study
provided.
Multiple Views on Poor Eyesight and Academic Performance
Eyesight plays a critical role in the performance of humans in a variety of activities. It is
also an essential element in the process of communicating with other people. According to Uzick
(2012), about 80% of all information an individual perceive comes through the eyes. This
information is essential in developing literacy skills that will create productive and efficient
individuals. Consequently, anyone who suffers from poor eyesight is constrained in numerous
ways. People with vision problems tend to have difficulty in reading comprehension and
gathering information. It can cause development issues and delays as it hinders the cognitive
growth as well as basic social skills. Emotional problems such as low self-esteem and depression
may also be seen on people with poor eyesight (Breland et. al., 2010). Moreover, they show poor
performance in sports, particularly projectile sports like baseball, softball, and basketball (Wood,
2007).
Eyesight and academic achievement of a student are intimately related to each other. Any
vision problems that limit a student in reaching their full academic potential is considered as
learning-related vision problems. These problems are classified into three: refractive problem,
functional vision problem and perceptual vision problems, in which it primarily affects visual
input and visual processing (Murphy, 2017). Furthermore, vision problems influence a person’s
learning and can contribute to development of learning disabilities. They experienced difficulties
which lead to poor spelling and writing skills; hence, undetected and untreated vision problems
pose a great threat to students as they can obstruct one’s performance to full learning (Garzia
et.al, 2008). Moreover, vision and visual distress can impede reading comprehension and
subsequently affect concentration. The lack of concentration influenced the knowledge gained by
students as it weakens their focus on a subject (Northway, 2008). As learning is achieved
through complex processes including vision, poor eyesight can limit the efficiency and
information processing of a student making classroom learning difficult and hindering
performance at school activities. Students with vision problems are required to exert more effort
in completing school tasks (Nicholson, 2017).

As concluded in their respective studies, researchers identified that poor eyesight
significantly affects a student’s academic performance. Basch (2011), for one, suggests that
vision problems negatively impact the academic performance of school-aged youth for it
interfere one’s sensory perception, cognition, and school connectedness. The study of Chen
(2011) tested 1,103 second year students enrolled in public school using different visual
variables and concluded that students experiencing visual problems such as low visual acuity
tend to have low academic achievement compared to others. On the other hand, Toledo et. al
(2010) utilized public elementary students but similarly stated that students with normal visual
acuity have 89.5% satisfactory academic performance, while those with impaired visual acuity
only achieved 75% satisfactory performance. Vision disorders limit the student to reach their full
academic performance which can also manifest problems in adulthood especially in employment
opportunities (Thompson, 2017). Moreover, a study of Maples (2003) showed that insufficient
visual skills, which primarily seen in minority groups and low-socioeconomic groups,
significantly affects students’ academic performance and success.
However, studies in different settings showed negative relationship between poor
eyesight and academic performance. A study of Dirani, et al. (2010) concluded that visual
function and academic performance has no positive association. They showed visual acuity on
school children had no significant effect on the academic performance after they have adjusted to
certain risk factors like gender, school, and time spent reading. Nevertheless, proper visual
assessment should remain essential in educational policy. In addition to, the study of Fox (2012)
showed somehow similar results as students with visual impairments scored a higher academic
test compared to students with difficulties in hearing and with specific learning disability.
Prevalence of Poor Eyesight Conditions
For the past years, poor eyesight has been an insidious threat towards a student’s
achieving of full academic potential. Globally, students experience a variety of poor eyesight
conditions which hinder learning. These conditions include myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia
(farsightedness), and autism. Today, myopia is one of the leading poor eyesight conditions which
have shown a dramatic increase in prevalence. In the United States, nearly 40 percent of the
population has myopia or nearsightedness (Ossola, 2016). Nearly four percent of them are 6 to
72 months of age while the children aged 5 to 17 years make up nine percent of the population
(Ruderman, 2016). In several Asian countries such as South Korea, 96 percent of teenagers have
nearsightedness while in Singapore, China, and Japan, around 80-90 percent of the teenagers
experience the same condition (BBC, 2016). The rapid increase of the population of myopic
people is said to reach nearly five billion or approximately half of the world's entire population
(Ossola, 2016).
Hyperopia, on the other hand, showed little prevalence especially in the United States
with a total prevalence rate of 9.9 percent of people aged 40 and above, indicating that farsighted
people in the US exceeds 14 million (Prevent Blindness America, 2012). On the other hand he
prevalence rate of this condition among children is 21 percent among children 6 to 72 months of
age and 13 percent among children ages 5 to 17 years (Ruderman, 2016). In a study conducted
by Monsálvez-Romín, et al. (2016), the following data are obtained: In Baltimore, Maryland
(USA), the prevalence among pre-school students aged 6 to 71 months is revealed to be 8.9
percent among American students and 4.4 percent among African-American students; in
Botucatu, Brazil, hyperopia was most prevalent among children under 10 years old as 86.9
percent of them experience the condition, while in La Florida, Chile, a prevalence rate of 22.7
percent was present among five-year old children; in Asian countries such as China, it is found
that children aged five have a prevalence of 8.8 percent and 19.6 percent among males and
females respectively; in Tajimi, Japan, it is revealed that 27.9 percent is the prevalence rate of
hyperopia among residents aged 40 years old and above.
Like myopia and hyperopia, the cases of astigmatism rapidly increase. In the US,
Between 15 and 28 percent of children ages 5 to 17 years have astigmatism (Ruderman, 2016).
Meanwhile, adults in several Asian countries such as Iran, Indonesia, and China have a
prevalence rate of 32.2 percent (Hashemi et al., 2014), 77 percent (Saw, 2002 as cited in
Hashemi et al., 2014), and 24.5 percent (Liang, 2009), respectively. The Philippines is no
exemption to these conditions. In fact, in a cross-sectional study conducted by Espenilla, et al.
(2009), it was revealed that among the private school students in the Philippines who are aged 4
to 13 years old, 19.44 percent has astigmatism, 14.81 percent has myopia, and 3.24 percent has
hyperopia.
These conditions need immediate treatment; however, many people neglect this need due
to a variety of reasons. According to Glewwe et. al (2016) about 10% of primary school students
in developing countries lack in having good vision, yet only few of them wear glasses. This only
proves that people often ignore the importance of eye health which explains why the cases of
these refractive errors keep on increasing rapidly. In an article written by Hammond (2014), it
was revealed that 64% of Nigerian students believe that these will eventually weaken eyesight,
while 34% of people in the Indian State of Karnataka and 69% of people from Pakistan have the
same hypothesis. Indeed, these false beliefs have a contribution in the prevalence of these poor
eyesight conditions.
Parents’ Lack of Awareness in Eye Health Care Importance
Children with uncorrected vision conditions or eye health problems face many barriers in
life such as academically, socially, and athletically. High-quality eye care can break down these
barriers and help enable your children to reach their highest potential (Georgia Southern
University, 2017). Through eye health care, students might have the capacity to work properly
and prevent different kinds of diseases. Maintaining the condition of the eye is very important for
the students, especially if they are facing even more barriers.
Despite the benefits of having good eye condition, there is a distinct lack of awareness of
the importance of eye care globally (Cheng, 2016). In the case of the students, parents are mostly
unaware of the eye condition of their children. Poor eyesight prevails despite its potential harm
to academic performances because the parents, who give support and guidance to their children,
are having more attention on other matter instead of its proper condition. Eye care is sometimes
overlooked by the parents. They would just tend to consult an eye doctor as they started to notice
symptoms of visual conditions in their children, instead of having regular eye check up to
prevent problems like having poor eyesight. Some parents are aware that children, especially
young children, might not be aware that they already have a vision problem because the body
naturally accommodates the irregularity, and problems are not always associated with pain or
discomfort (Kyle, 2008; Crabb et al., 2013). According to the National Coalition for Vision
Health (2010), “six out of ten children experiencing reading difficulties have uncorrected or
undetected vision problems and almost 25% of school-age children have vision problems.”
According to the Petticrew Optometrists (2009), whilst parents regard healthcare as a priority,
were unaware of the importance of eye care. Only 22 percent of parents were looking after their
children’s eyes properly, having yearly eye examinations and a startling 49 percent of parents of
children aged under-8 had never had their children’s eyes examined. In comparison parents were
much more aware of dental care, with over 75 percent of parents having had their children’s
teeth examined every year. Palagyi et al. (2008) reported attitudinal reasons like they feel there
was no need for eye care services. Parents quoted fear of cost, inconvenience and fear of their
children being prescribed glasses as key factors. Knowledge of disease and their symptoms is
also one of the prerequisites of health-seeking behavior which seemed to be absent in the parents
of the children. Because of these, discovering if their child has a vision problem is harder to
determine (Senthilkumar et al., 2013; as cited by Ebeigbe & Emedike, 2017).

Negligence in one’s eye health is one of the great factors that might affect academic,
social, and athletic performance. Healthy vision is critical to learning and excelling in school
(Lowe, 2014). American Optometric Association (AOA) stated that approximately 80 percent of
learning comes through a child’s eyes. Reading, writing and computer work are just a few of the
tasks students are expected to perform daily that require visual skills. As classrooms adopt more
technologically advanced tools, such as interactive blackboard presentations, the dependence on
adequate visual capabilities will increase (2014). Evidently, students with poor eyesight have the
possibility to have impaired academic development and more alarmingly, social development.
Impact of Poor Eyesight on Learning
Attendance may only have little significance in the growth and learning of students if
they do not perform effectively while they are in school. One of the factors for ineffective
learning is the vision problems of school-age children. Unfortunately, very little data exists
regarding this phenomenon. Because of the lack of data, almost no research investigated the
impact of poor eyesight on children's school performance. As of now, only two published studies
subsist. First, a study by Gomes-Neto et al. (1997) revealed that primary school children in
Northeast Brazil with vision problems had a 10-percentage point higher probability of dropping
out, an 18 percent-point higher probability of repeating a grade, and scored 0.2 to 0.3 standard
deviations lower on achievement tests. Unobserved factors such as parental preferences for
educated children may be interconnected with the existing problem on student's vision which
affects learning. Also, even if none of them wore glasses, their vision can still be affected by
their home or environment (e.g. lighting quality) together with their daily activities, such as time
spent studying and doing homework. Thus, their vision could be interconnected with unobserved
factors that directly affect school performance (e.g. hours studying), which results to biased
assessments. Second, according to Hannum and Zhang (2012), using data from the Gansu Survey
of Children and Families and propensity score matching, children with poor vision aging 13-16,
wearing eyeglasses were found to have an increase in mathematics and literacy test scores
significantly by 0.27 and 0.43 standard deviations but does not have any increase in language
scores. Unfortunately, they could not fully address the problem of self-selection in wearing
glasses; doubtlessly, they showed that wearing glasses for students with vision problems is
associated with higher socio-economic status and greater academic achievement and
engagement.
Sensory Integration Theory and Academic Performance
It was explained by the Sensory Integration Theory that there is a process inside the brain
affecting one’s physical and social environment over sensation. (May-Benson & Schaaf, 2014).
Information gathered by senses is received and processed in the brain, affecting the behavior of
the body as it starts to interact with different kinds of situation. According to Sensory Integration
Network (2017), eight senses are involved in sensory integration. It consist the five common
senses such as seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching; added by the other three senses
and one of them is interoception. Dworkin defined the other sense as the perception of afferent
messages from receptors that observe and manage the condition within the body (2007). It is the
natural sensation whereas the brain tells the body whenever one is experiencing instances
occurring naturally such as hunger, fullness, heart beating fast, butterflies in the stomach, and
more. Interoception also describes the ability of a person to focus and to develop self-control,
self-esteem and confidence in different aspects. Lacking the sense of interoception is a problem
in sensory integration. Therefore, sensory integrative dysfunction immobilizes the children to
execute proper motor performance, and the improvement of self-esteem in the aspects of learning
(Law, et al., 2016). As detailed by Roley and Schaff (2006), sensory systems that are well-
regulated and suitably working can give significant results when it comes to social-emotional,
physical and motor communication self-care, cognitive and adaptive skills development and
maintenance. Lack in sensory integration generates challenges in performing activities of daily
living. People, who suffer from sensory integration difficulties, lack the effective process of
sensory information. Thus, be likely to to struggle in their capacity to respond to their
environment adaptively (Dclemen, 2011). Visual perception, proprioception, vestibular, bilateral
coordination, fine motor and gross motor skills are part of sensory-motors development. Until
one would solve the underlying concerns of child’s sensory integration, the child most likely
would not be able to learn (Integrated Learning Strategies, 2016).

Synthesis of Reviewed Related Literature
The related literature and studies which have been conscientiously organized and
presented directed the researcher in conceptualizing the study. Initially, the researchers were
enlightened by the notion of Uzick (2012) which stated that 80 percent of all information an
individual perceive comes through the eyes. The effects of poor eyesight is not only limited to
poor academic achievement as it may also cause low self-esteem, depression; and poor
performance in sports such as baseball, softball, and basketball (Breland et al., 2010; Wood,
2007).
Any vision problems that limit a student in reaching their full academic potential are
considered as learning-related vision problems which can be classified into three: refractive
problem, functional vision problem and perceptual vision problems, which may contribute to the
development of learning disabilities (Murphy, 2017); hence, undetected and untreated vision
problems threatens one’s performance (Garzia et.al, 2008). Vision and visual distress can impede
reading comprehension and concentration of students (Northway, 2008). These situations call for
the need for students with vision problems to exert more effort in completing school tasks
(Nicholson, 2017).
Researchers have contradicting views regarding the relationship between poor eyesight
and academic performance. Several studies concluded that these variables are positively related
to each other (Basch, 2011; Chen, 2011; Toledo et al, 2010; Thompson, 2017; Maples, 2003).
Contrary to their studies, there are also some studies which showed negative relationship
between poor eyesight and academic performance (Dirani et al, 2010; Fox, 2012).
The widespread of poor eyesight conditions has been occurring across the nations. Cases
of myopia or nearsightedness have been occurring in countries like the United States (Ossola,
2016; Ruderman, 2016), Korea, Singapore, China, and Japan (BBC, 2016). Hyperopia or
farsightedness, on the other hand, has also been experienced by people living in the United States
(Prevent Blindness America, 2012; Ruderman, 2016). The condition has also been prevalent in
Maryland, Brazil, Chile, China, and Japan (Monsálvez-Romín, et al., 2016). Like myopia and
hyperopia, the cases of astigmatism rapidly increase in the US (Ruderman, 2016), as well as in
several Asian countries like Iran (Hashemi et al., 2014), Indonesia (Saw, 2002 as cited in
Hashemi et al., 2014), and China (Liang, 2009). The Philippines is no exemption to these
conditions. In fact, in a cross-sectional study conducted by Espenilla, et al. (2009), it was
revealed that among the private school students in the Philippines who are aged 4 to 13 years old,
19.44 percent has astigmatism, 14.81 percent has myopia, and 3.24 percent has hyperopia.
These conditions need immediate treatment; however, many people neglect this need by
not using glasses despite the need for it (Glewwe et al., 2010). One of the reasons that cause
these to happen can be attributed to the belief that the usage of eyeglasses will eventually worsen
the eye condition (Hammond, 2014).
High-quality eye care can break down the barriers in academic, social, and athletic
achievement and help enable students to reach their highest potential (Georgia Southern
University, 2017). Apart from false beliefs, awareness plays a role in hindering this need.
According to Cheng (2016), despite the benefits of having good eye condition, there is a distinct
lack of awareness of the importance of eye care globally because these problems are not always
associated with pain or discomfort (Kyle, 2008; Crabb, et al. 2013).
According to the National Coalition for Vision Health (2010), “six out of ten children
experiencing reading difficulties have uncorrected or undetected vision problems and almost 25
percent of school-age children have vision problems. These problems continue to prevail because
while parents regard healthcare as a priority, they were unaware of the importance of eye care
(Petticrew Optometrists 2009). There are also reports in the notion of Palagyi et al. (2008) which
stated the eye care services are seen by many as superfluous. Knowledge on the nature of the
disease is also absent among parents which causes difficulty in determining its presence
(Senthilkumar et al., as cited by Ebeigbe & Emedike, 2017). Healthy vision is critical to learning
and excelling in school (Lowe, 2014) because 80 percent of learning comes through a child’s
eyes (American Optometric Association, 2014); hence in the attainment of full academic
potential, raising awareness can define the differences between learning and failing.
The worsening of these conditions may eventually impact learning among students.
According to Gomes-Neto et al. (1997) revealed that primary school children in Northeast Brazil
with vision problems had a 10 percent-point higher probability of dropping out, an 18percent
point higher probability of repeating a grade, and scored 0.2 to 0.3 standard deviations lower on
achievement tests. This impact of poor eyesight on learning is also enlightened by Hannum and
Zhang (2012), using data from the Gansu Survey of Children and Families and propensity score
matching, children with poor vision aging 13-16, wearing eyeglasses were found to have an
increase in mathematics and literacy test scores significantly by 0.27 and 0.43 standard
deviations but does not have any increase in language scores.
All these conditions can be further explained by the Sensory Integration Theory which
explains that there is a process inside the brain affecting one’s physical and social environment
over sensation. (May-Benson and Schaaf, 2014) which includes the five common senses such as
seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching; added by the other three senses namely
interoception (Sensory Integration Network, 2017) and the perception of afferent messages from
receptors that observe and manage the condition within the body (Dworkin, 2007). Therefore,
sensory integrative dysfunction immobilizes the children to execute proper motor performance,
and the improvement of self-esteem in the aspects of learning (Law, et al., 2016). As detailed by
Roley and Schaff (2006), sensory systems that are well-regulated and suitably working can give
significant results when it comes to social-emotional, physical and motor communication self-
care, cognitive and adaptive skills development and maintenance. People, who suffer from
sensory integration difficulties, lack the effective process of sensory information; thus, be likely
to struggle in their capacity to respond to their environment adaptively (Dclemen, 2011). Visual
perception, proprioception, vestibular, bilateral coordination, fine motor and gross motor skills
are part of sensory-motors development. Until one would solve the underlying concerns of
child’s sensory integration, the child most likely would not be able to learn (Integrated Learning
Strategies, 2016).
Gaps to be Bridged by the Present Study
From the review of related literature and studies previously presented in this chapter, it
was found out that the relationship between poor eyesight and academic performance has been a
subject for numerous researches for decades. However, there was still lack of studies showing
the explanation of this condition specifically among Senior High School students since it is a
recently implemented curriculum in the Philippines. This study aims at addressing this gap
through focusing on the struggles of these students, as well as the relation of this case to
academic performance.
Chapter 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study utilized quantitative correlational research design whose primary purpose is to
measure the relationship or interaction between two variables without being controlled or
manipulated (Siegle, 2015). By employing correlational research design, researchers determine
whether an increase or decrease in one variable significantly influences the increase or decrease
of another variable, without concluding causation (Kalla, 2011). According to Creswell (2009),
this research design provides a non-obstructive approach to the inquiry that resulted in
identification of significant relationship between studied variables.
Sources of Data
In this study, majority of the data are gathered through questionnaires which will be
answered by 60 students who have poor eyesight. To provide an in-depth background and
meaningful answers to the research problems, the researchers also reviewed related literature and
studies specifically by consulting and citing books, periodicals, published theses, and
dissertations, and online journals.

Respondents of the Study
The respondents composed of sixty (60) Senior High School students from the University
of Perpetual Help System Laguna, sampled from those who are experiencing poor eyesight
conditions during the Academic Year 2017-2018.
The researchers are able to come up with sixty respondents using qouta sampling
technique wherein the assembled sample has the same proportions of individuals as the entire
population with respect to known characteristics, traits or focused phenomenon. The number of
respondents may increase when the saturation point is not yet reached.
Instrumentation and Validation
The present study will utilize survey techniques containing closed questionnaire where
the respondents selectively choose their answers on the given questions. The questionnaires to be
used in measuring the independent variable include the Functional Vision Exam which is
adapted from The Vision Therapy Center Inc., and the Snellen Chart Test which is developed by
Herman Snellen in 1862. The instrument developed by the researchers will comprise of (2) parts
which answers the three stated research questions: Scale 1 will focus on the condition of the
respondents' eyesight, and Scale 2 will cover the students' academic performance. Since the
questionnaires is self-constructed, the researchers will seek for the approval of their research
adviser and to some experts in the field of opthalmology to obtain recommendations necessary
for ensuring its content validity,

Data Gathering Procedure
After validating the tools for data collection, permission to gather necessary data will be
sought by the researchers from the Office of Senior High School Director of University of
Perpetual Help System. Subsequently, the researchers will also explain the purpose of the study
to and ask consent from the parents of the respondents. During the gathering data, instructions of
the survey will be discuss clearly and the procedure of filling the scale will be clarified. The
researchers will then collect the answered questionnaires and the data gathered will be analyzed
and interpreted using statistical treatment.
Treatment and Analysis of Data
After data gathering, the results will be tabulated and ranked. The statistical tools used in
analyzing this quantitative study include the calculation of frequency, percentage and rank which
will describe the Snellen Chart Test Results (Vision Acuity) and the Functional Vision Exam
Results. These tests are both means of describing the independent variable which is the poor
eyesight condition of the respomdents.
Two sub-variables will describe the dependent variable which is the academic
performance of the respondents: the General Weighted Average (GWA) during Academic Year
2016-2017 and the Class Standing. Different statistical tools will be used in the two variables.
The former will utilized the mean and standard deviation, while the latter will utilized the
frequency, percentage and rank.
Pearson r was used to describe how significant is the relationship between poor eyesight
and academic performance. Specifically, it will dwell on the relationship between Snellen Chart
Test results and GWA. Snellen Chart Test results and Class Standing, Functional Vision Exam
Result and GWA, and Functional Vision Exam Result and Class Standing.
Ethical Consideration
The researchers will complete the study heeding ethical considerations particularly on
asking permission to its respondents and to the school administrators. At first, the permission
will be requested from the office of the Senior High School director of the University of
Perpetual Help System Laguna down to its Research Review board to inspect and to avert
possible harmful effects of the study to the respondents. A consent form will be given to all the
respondents informing him or her right to rescind from the study at any time. An absolute
confidentiality is assured and since the respondents are minors, the consent form from their
parents will also be secured.

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University of Perpetual Help System Laguna - JONELTA

Basic Education Department – Senior High School

POOR EYESIGHT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Good vision is an indispensable component towards students' attainment of their full

related to each other (Murphy, 2017).

Globally, students experience a variety of poor eyesight or blurry vision conditions

astigmatism. The Philippines is no exemption to these conditions as it was revealed by Espenilla,

the lack of awareness.

The research will be postulated on Sensory Integration theory, a theory developed by

sensory integration to an adaptive performance of an individual (Windsor, 2017). It describes the

make the body respond adaptively to its environment.

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2015), well-regulated and

Figure 1. Model of Theoretical Framework

The operational framework will be anchored on Sensory Integration Theory which

individual’s learning, behavior, and participation in activities.

According to Miller (2006), sensory integration is the ability to take in information

and academic performance.

Figure 2. The Operational Model showing the relationships among variables

PARAGRAPH TO EXPLAIN THE VARIABLES

Statement of the Problem

1. How can the poor eyesight of respondents described in terms of:

1.1. Functional Vision Exam Results

1.2. Snellen Chart Test Result

2.1. General Weighted Average (GWA) during A.Y. 2016-2017

2.2. Class Standing

Hypothesis of the Study

Scope and Delimitation

Significance of the Study

will also be encouraged to approach professionals for aid.

who have poor eyesight.

eyes checked and treated.

process may improve their critical thinking, insights and character.

the humanities or pure mathematics. Academic is a student or teacher at a college or university.

It also refers to a person who is academic in background, attitudes, methods, etc.

Eyesight refers to a person's ability to see.

Vision Exam of The Vision Therapy Center Inc.

indicator of a student's academic performance.

nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Multiple Views on Poor Eyesight and Academic Performance

Eyesight plays a critical role in the performance of humans in a variety of activities. It is

students as it weakens their focus on a subject (Northway, 2008). As learning is achieved

information processing of a student making classroom learning difficult and hindering

in completing school tasks (Nicholson, 2017).

As concluded in their respective studies, researchers identified that poor eyesight

significantly affects students’ academic performance and success.

However, studies in different settings showed negative relationship between poor

Prevalence of Poor Eyesight Conditions

hyperopia among residents aged 40 years old and above.

exemption to these conditions. In fact, in a cross-sectional study conducted by Espenilla, et al.

Parents’ Lack of Awareness in Eye Health Care Importance

the students, especially if they are facing even more barriers.

determine (Senthilkumar et al., 2013; as cited by Ebeigbe & Emedike, 2017).

technologically advanced tools, such as interactive blackboard presentations, the dependence on

Impact of Poor Eyesight on Learning

Sensory Integration Theory and Academic Performance

in sensory integration. Therefore, sensory integrative dysfunction immobilizes the children to

maintenance. Lack in sensory integration generates challenges in performing activities of daily

sensory information. Thus, be likely to to struggle in their capacity to respond to their

environment adaptively (Dclemen, 2011). Visual perception, proprioception, vestibular, bilateral

would not be able to learn (Integrated Learning Strategies, 2016).

Synthesis of Reviewed Related Literature

conditions. In fact, in a cross-sectional study conducted by Espenilla, et al. (2009), it was

the eye condition (Hammond, 2014).