Some visual conditions cannot be treated adequately with just glasses, contact lenses and/or patching, and are best resolved through a program of Vision Therapy.
What is Vision Therapy
- eye alignment,
- eye teaming,
- eye focusing abilities,
- eye movements, and/or
- visual processing.
Visual-motor skills and endurance are developed through the use of specialized computer and optical devices, including therapeutic lenses, prisms, and filters. During the final stages of therapy, the patient’s newly acquired visual skills are reinforced and made automatic through repetition and by integration with motor and cognitive skills.
Who Benefits from Vision Therapy?
Children and adults with visual challenges, such as:
Learning-related Vision Problems
Vision Therapy can help those individuals who lack the necessary visual skills for effective reading, writing, and learning (i.e., eye movement and focusing skills, convergence, eye-hand activity, visual memory skills, etc.). To learn more about learning-related vision problems, visit any of these web pages on:
- 20/20 or 20-20 Eyesight and Eye Screenings – Not Perfect!,
- All About Learning Related Vision Problems,
- Eyesight & Vision Problems: Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD/ADHD),
- Eyesight & Vision Problems: Dyslexia,
- Eyesight & Vision Problems: Learning Disabilities (LDs),
- Eyesight & Vision Problems: Reading, Handwriting, Homework, Spelling, Math, Slow Learner, Lazy Student, Behavior Problems in School, Below Grade Level, Special Education, Gifted Learning Disabled, etc.,
- Eye Tracking, Eye Teaming, and Reading Problems,
- What is Convergence Insufficiency Disorder?,
- Vision Therapy as Treatment for Learning Disabilities.
Poor Binocular (2-eyed) Coordination
Vision Therapy helps individuals develop normal coordination and teamwork of the two eyes (binocular vision). When the two eyes fail to work together as an effective team, performance in many areas can suffer (reading, sports, depth perception, eye contact, etc.).
To learn more about binocular (two-eyed) vision, visit any of these web pages on:
- Adults and Children Gain Binocular Vision and 3D Depth Perception,
- Children’s Vision: Binocular Vision, Depth Perception, Eye Teaming
- The Eye Hop – Explore Your Binocular Vision,
- The Framing Game – A Binocular Vision Test,
- What is Binocular Vision and Stereo Depth Perception?,
- What is Convergence Insufficiency Disorder?,
- What is Seeing Double or Double Vision?
Strabismus (Crossed Eyes, Eye Turns, etc.) and Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
Vision Therapy programs offer much higher cure rates for turned eyes and/or lazy eye when compared to eye surgery, glasses, and/or patching, without therapy. The earlier the patient receives Vision Therapy the better, however, our office successfully treats patients well past 21 years of age.
Recent scientific research has disproved the long held belief that children with lazy eye, or amblyopia, can’t be helped after age 7.
To learn more about crossed eyes, eye turns, or lazy eye, visit any of these web pages on:
- About Eye Turns: Constant (Always) or Intermittent (Sometimes, Occasionally),
- Amblyopia, Lazy Eye, and Strabismus – Not All The Same!,
- Children’s Vision: Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Strabismus (Crossed Eyes, Cross-eyed, Wall-eyed, Intermittent Exotropia, Hypertropia, Esotropia, etc.), Exophoria…,
- Eye Muscle Surgery: Treatment for Strabismus, Lazy Eye, Intermittent Exotropia, etc.,
- What is Amblyopia or Lazy Eye?,
- What is Convergence Insufficiency Disorder, Intermittent Exotropia, Exophoria?,
- What is Seeing Double or Double Vision?,
- Vision Therapy Eye Exercises as Treatment for Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Strabismus (Crossed eyes), Convergence Insufficiency Disorder, etc..
Stress-induced Difficulties – Blurred Vision, Eyestrain, Headaches, Dizziness, etc.
21st century life demands more from our vision than ever before. Many children and adults constantly use their near vision at school, work and home. Environmental stresses on the visual system (including excessive computer use or close work) can induce blurred vision, eyestrain, headaches, etc. To learn about vision therapy for these problems, see:
- Blurred Vision, Blurry Eyesight – Reading and Computer Work – VT Eye Exercises,
- Dizziness, Motion Sickness, Eye Strain, Stomachaches, Double Vision…,
- Eye Strain or Eye Fatigue with Computer Work and Reading – Eye Exercises,
- Relief of Frequent or Chronic Headaches, Stress, Eyestrain, and/or Stomachaches during or after Reading, School or Office Work.
Visual Rehabilitation for Special Needs – Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Stroke, Birth Injury, Brain Damage, Head Injury, Whiplash, Cerebral Palsy, MS, etc.
Vision can be compromised as a result of neurological disorders or trauma to the nervous system. Vision Therapy can effectively treat the visual consequences of brain trauma (including double vision).
To learn more about visual rehabilitation with vision therapy, see:
- Visual Rehabilitation following Brain Damage, Birth Injury, Head Injury, Stroke, Acquired Brain Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), etc.,
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Blurred Vision, Reading Problems, Double Vision, Eye Pain, Headaches with Reading, Visual Field Loss…,
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation – Success Stories with Vision Therapy.
Visual Rehabilitation for Special Needs – Developmental Delays, Visual Perceptual Visual-Motor Deficits, Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders
To learn more about vision therapy as it relates to developmental delays or disorders, see:
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD): Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments,
- Autism Spectrum Disorders: Eye Examinations, Eyesight, Vision Therapy,
- Vision Therapy for Visual Perceptual Visual-Motor Deficits,
- Article: Diagnosis of Non-Verbal Learning Disorder (NLD), Hidden Disability.
Sports Vision Improvement
Strong visual skills are critical to sports success. Not much happens in sports until your eyes instruct your hands and body as to what to do! Accurate vision and athletic visual skills can be measured, developed, and enhanced through Vision Therapy. We can measure and successfully improve eye-hand coordination, visual reaction time, peripheral awareness, eye teaming, focusing, tracking, and visualization skills (to mention just a few). Vision Therapy can be the answer to many visual problems. Don’t hesitate to contact our office with your questions.
To read definitions of Vision Therapy by outside sources, see What is Vision Therapy?and/or Vision Therapy? Self-help Eye Exercises?. To browse through hundreds of stories written by parents, teachers, adults and children, go to a national of catalog of Vision Therapy Success Stories.
