Vision Therapy

Vision Therapy is a type of Physical Therapy. Like other forms of physical therapy, with vision therapy, optimum results require much more than visual acuity or binocular eye muscle control. Vision therapy integrates visual acuity and binocular function plus detailed brain function activities that collectively control thousands of components of our entire bodies coordinated actions. Your visual system is your steering system. Vision Therapy makes it better.

We provide complete diagnostic and therapeutic care for children and adults with these type of vision problems:

• Eye tracking
• Eye teaming (Strabismus or Amblyopia)
• Eye focusing (Visual Acuity)
• Learning-related vision problems
• Visual Information Processing
• Computer related vision problems
• Sports Vision
• Brain injury (TBI / ABI)
• Post Trauma Vision Syndrome

What is Vision Therapy?

Vision therapy can be described as physical therapy for the visual system which includes the brain and eyes. Through a series of progressive therapeutic procedures (eye exercises), patients develop or recover normal visual skills. Vision therapy is remarkably successful in rehabilitating all types of binocular vision impairments including amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus, esotropia, exotropia, hyperphoria, or loss of binocular fusion due to hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness) or astigmatism in one eye. In regards to the development or recovery of binocular vision, Vision Therapy is much more successful than surgery or glasses alone.

Who Can Benefit From Vision Therapy?

Patients of all ages can benefit from Vision Therapy. The nature of the therapy program varies with the condition treated. For example, a three year-old child with amblyopia, or "lazy eye", might have the better eye patched for a short period of time. An eight year old with strabismus "crossed eye", may require therapy for a period of a year to to gain BOTH cosmetic and visual benefits (the two eyes will appear straight AND will be used as a binocular team for normal vision). A 30 year-old computer programmer may require three to six months to solve a visual problem causing significant eye strain. A 30 year-old with strabismus who had two or more unsuccessful surgeries as a child might require two or more years of therapy. For information on patients with dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, and other conditions related to visual perception and information processing, see add-adhd.org.

Vision therapy can improve visual skills such as stereopsis, binocular coordination, binocular fusion, eye teaming skills, convergence, visual acuity, focusing skills, stereoscopic vision, depth perception, eye tracking, fixation skills, visual form discrimination, visual memory, hyperopia, and visual motor integration (balance, body coordination, hand-eye coordination).

Is Vision Therapy New?

Although Vision Therapy is currently an Optometric specialty, it is actually an outgrowth of orthoptics. Orthoptics, which literally means "straightening of the eyes", was introduced to this country by physicians in the late 1800's. As physicians became more focused on eyeglasses, medication , and surgery, the benefits of orthoptics were taught to fewer and fewer practitioners. However, optometrists in the mid 1900's took the best that orthoptics had to offer, and pioneered the development of Vision Therapy.

What's Involved In A Vision Therapy Program?

Patients typically come to the office twice weekly for 30 - 45 minutes each visit. In addition, homework is given to be done at home as reinforcement of what is learned during the office therapy sessions. Commitment to the therapy program, and maintaining a schedule of weekly visits, is important in the success of the program.

Can't my child just do the therapy at home?

Vision therapy programs are individualized for the patient, and careful guidance and frequent monitoring is required for success. When attempted by patients without guidance, poor visual habits may actually be reinforced. In addition, in-office Vision Therapy programs make use of specialty computer programs, regulated medical devices (such as lenses and prisms) and other tools which are not available for use in the home.

How Long Does Vision Therapy Last?

When the program is complete, the benefits of Vision Therapy will last for a lifetime. Accurate focusing and the use of both eyes together efficiently is a reflex which, when conditioned, should operate effortlessly. Self-monitoring activities are prescribed at the end of each therapy program. Non-medical Vision Therapy, as related to visual perception, prepares children for a lifelong learning, and fills in gaps for many adults who have lost visual skills and abilities.

The vision therapy program is based on the results of standardized tests, the patient's specific signs and symptoms plus a careful look at the needs of the patient.

The use of lenses, prisms, filters, occluders, specialized instruments and computer programs is an integral part of vision therapy. Typically, vision therapy is administered as a combination of in-office visits combined with prescribed, daily, home-vision therapy procedures.

The in-office therapy is designed to make the patient aware of his or her visual deficiencies under controlled conditions. Then by a feedback process the patient is taught strategies to improve visual performance.

Home therapy is directed at practicing the newly learned visual skills until the initial conscious effort becomes automatic.