What Is a Sensorimotor Exam and Why Is It Important?

When most people think of an eye exam, they picture reading letters on a chart to check how clearly they can see. While visual clarity is important, it’s only one part of how the visual system works. A sensorimotor exam looks beyond eyesight alone and evaluates how efficiently your visual system functions in real-world situations such as reading, learning, sports, and daily activities.

What Is a Sensorimotor Exam?

A sensorimotor exam is a specialized part of a comprehensive eye evaluation that assesses how the eyes and brain coordinate movement, alignment, and visual processing. Rather than focusing solely on vision clarity, it examines the interaction between sensory input (what the eyes see) and motor output (how the eyes respond).

This type of exam is especially important for identifying subtle visual problems that may not show up during a standard vision screening but can still affect comfort, performance, and quality of life.

The Role of a Binocular Vision Assessment

One key component of a sensorimotor exam is a binocular vision assessment. Binocular vision refers to how well both eyes work together as a team.

During this portion of the exam, your doctor evaluates:

• Eye alignment at distance and near

• Eye teaming and coordination

• Depth perception

• Ability to maintain single, clear vision

When the eyes don’t work together properly, it can lead to symptoms such as headaches, eye strain, double vision, difficulty reading, or fatigue - especially during prolonged near tasks like schoolwork or computer use.

Visual Function Testing: More Than Just 20/20 Vision

Another important element is visual function testing, which evaluates how well the eyes perform during everyday tasks. This goes beyond visual acuity to examine how the visual system functions under real-world demands.

Visual function testing may include assessment of:

• Eye tracking (following moving objects or lines of text)

• Focusing ability and flexibility

• Visual reaction time

• Visual processing efficiency

Deficiencies in visual function can impact reading fluency, attention, learning, and even athletic performance, even when vision appears “normal” on a standard eye chart.

Sensorimotor Skills Evaluation

A sensorimotor skills evaluation looks at how visual input integrates with body movement and balance. This is particularly important for children, athletes, and individuals with developmental, learning, or neurological concerns.

This evaluation may assess:

• Eye-hand coordination

• Visual-motor integration

• Balance and posture related to vision

• Timing and sequencing of visual responses

Poor sensorimotor integration can affect coordination, spatial awareness, and confidence in movement, sometimes contributing to learning challenges or clumsiness.

Who Benefits From a Sensorimotor Exam?

Sensorimotor exams are valuable for patients of all ages, but they are especially beneficial for:

• Children struggling with reading, learning, or attention

• Patients with headaches, eye strain, or visual fatigue

• Individuals with a history of concussion or neurological conditions

• Athletes looking to optimize visual performance

• Anyone experiencing vision problems that aren’t explained by clarity alone

Early detection of sensorimotor issues allows for timely intervention and personalized treatment recommendations.

Set the Foundation for Strong Visual Skills

A sensorimotor exam provides a deeper understanding of how your visual system truly functions. By combining binocular vision assessment, visual function testing, and sensorimotor skills evaluation, this exam helps identify underlying issues that can affect learning, comfort, coordination, and daily performance.

If you or your child are experiencing visual discomfort, learning challenges, or performance issues, a sensorimotor exam may provide the answers you’ve been looking for. Contact Prosper Family Eyecare and Vision Development Center at our office in Prosper, Texas, by calling (469) 331-3600 to book an appointment today.