Eye Tracking & Oculomotor Skills in Needham, MA

Eye tracking refers to the ability of the eyes to move smoothly and accurately while following or shifting between visual targets. These movements are part of a group of visual skills called oculomotor skills, which help the eyes work together as a child looks around their environment.

Two important types of eye movements are pursuits and saccades. Pursuits are smooth eye movements that allow the eyes to follow a moving object, such as tracking a ball during sports or following an object as it moves across a child's field of vision.

Saccades are quick, precise eye movements that allow the eyes to rapidly jump from one target to another. Children use saccades when looking from one word to the next while reading, moving between lines of text, copying information from a board, or shifting their attention between different objects.

These eye movements need to be accurate, coordinated, and efficient for many everyday activities. When a child is having difficulty with certain visual tasks, evaluating their oculomotor skills can provide useful information about how their eyes are moving and working together.