The Difference Between Distractibility and ADHD  

In the United States, about 1 in 9 kids have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and about 15.5 million adults live with the condition.

Given the term “attention-deficit” is baked right into the name, it’s little wonder that many of us blur the lines between everyday distractibility and ADHD. 

Making matters more complex, our team at DeyeNAMICS wants to highlight the influence of vision and visual processing issues. Below, we discuss the difference between distractibility and ADHD, and how vision and visual processing issues can be connected to both.

ADHD is More Than Just Distraction

At its core, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by:

• Inattention
• Difficulty focusing
• Trouble staying still
• Impulsivity

Most people experience these challenges from time to time as part of the human condition. With ADHD, however, the symptoms are more persistent and severe.

That’s why not everyone who is easily distracted has ADHD. To diagnose ADHD correctly, a patient needs to meet a specific set of criteria.

The Link Between ADHD and Vision

Now, let’s move over to the link between ADHD and vision issues. A study of 75,000 students found that 15.6% of those students who had vision issues were also diagnosed with ADHD. In contrast, only 8.3% of students without vision issues had ADHD. 

Further studies show that people with ADHD are more prone to have certain vision challenges in certain areas, such as:

• Eye tracking
• Convergence insufficiency
• Color perception
• Contrast sensitivity
• Light adaptation
• Spatial and temporal processing

Rather than affecting how well a person can see, these challenges involve functional and perceptual areas of vision by way of disruption in visual processing. This can make it difficult to identify these challenges during a typical eye exam when sharpness of vision is not affected.

Connecting the Dots Between ADHD, Distractibility, and Vision

A person with functional or perceptual issues involving  vision may struggle to focus, making them more easily distracted. They may also avoid important tasks that require them to use their vision in a way that’s tiring, resulting in difficulty staying still and attentive. This creates a two-way street between vision and ADHD, and vision and distractibility.

For example, a student with a functional vision disorder like eye tracking problems may be misdiagnosed with ADHD because they struggle to follow what’s going on in class and are easily distracted by things they can follow. 

On the other hand, ADHD affects brain structures involved in vision, which can lead to visual processing challenges. They may also have difficulty staying still because they unconsciously move or fidget to stimulate their visual process in order to meet the demands of their classroom environment.

If you or a loved one struggles with ADHD, distractibility, and vision issues, come see us. Our work with visual processing can greatly improve other areas of function, including focus and follow-through.

For expert care of vision issues related to ADHD, please contact us at one of our offices in Sacramento, Bellflower, or Valencia, California; Guildford, Connecticut; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; or Plano, Texas, to schedule an appointment.