Tracking Eye Movements Are Normal in Dyslexic Children

We measured saccadic and smooth eye tracking movements in 34 dyslexic and 35 control subjects and were unable to show differences in any of the tasks or parameters measured. Subjects were carefully screened for neurological, optometric, audiological, and behavioral problems before admission to the study. We suggest that differences between our results and those of previous investigators are based on sampling differences. We conclude that while there may be children with reading disorders secondary to visual or oculomotor deficits, dyslexia can and does exist independent of such deficits. Because, in this and other studies, we have ruled out peripheral involvement, we feel that dyslexia is primarily a deficit of central information processing of written or spoken material.