According to the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, poor performance on standardized tests can signal a vision problem. [learn more]

Vision Therapy

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?
Vision Therapy is an individualized, supervised, treatment program designed to correct visual-motor and/or perceptual-cognitive deficiencies. Vision Therapy sessions include procedures designed to enhance the brain's ability to control:

• 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 vision-related learning problems, visit any of these web pages on reading, learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, tracking or convergence insufficiency.

Poor Binocular 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 vision, visit these web pages on 3D vision and depth perception, convergence insufficiency or The Framing Game.

Strabismus and Amblyopia
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 has successfully treated patients well past 21 years of age. To learn more about Vision Therapy and eye turns or lazy eye, visit the many web pages of children-special-needs.org.

Stress-induced Visual Difficulties
21st century lifestyles demand more from our vision than ever before.  Environmental stresses on the visual system (including excessive computer use or close work) can induce headaches and/or visual difficulties which can be effectively treated with corrective lenses and/or Vision Therapy. To learn more about Computer Vision Syndrome, visit drergo.com.

Visual Rehabilitation for Special Populations
Vision can be compromised as a result of neurological disorders or trauma to the nervous system (such as, traumatic brain injuries, stroke, whiplash, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.). Vision Therapy may effectively treat the visual consequences of trauma (including double vision). To learn more about brain injuries and vision, visit braininjuries.org.

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 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 us with your questions. To read definitions of Vision Therapy by outside sources, visit children-special-needs.org.