Optometric Vision Therapy
by
Chris Lochhead
What is vision therapy?
Vision therapy is an individualized therapy program for the eyes and brain that treats various types of visual disorders. Vision therapy can help children and adults. Eye exercises, sometimes with the use of prisms and lenses, are employed to strengthen the visual system or to make the visual system more accurate.
What conditions are treated with vision therapy?
Many types of visual conditions can be treated with vision therapy. The following list shows just a few of these conditions:
Amblyopia - Amblyopia is the inability for vision to be corrected to 20/20 by optical means. Amblyopia usually only affects one eye and in this case is usually related to an eye turn in that eye or a large difference in refractive error between the two eyes. When amblyopia affects both eyes, it is usually due to visual deprivation, such as total lack of light.
Strabismus - Strabismus is an eye turn. An eye that turns in has esotropia. The age of onset in esotropia affects the prognosis of the turned eye. The earlier the onset of esotropia the worse the prognosis. An eye that turns out has exotropia. Exotropia is less common than esotropia, but usually has a better prognosis.
Accommodative disorders - Accommodating is another word for focusing. Focusing is an important everyday task. Every time we read or look at the computer we use our focusing muscles. When we look up from the computer to look out the window, we relax our focusing muscles. Sometimes if the focusing system is too active, or not active enough, the simplest near point tasks can cause great discomfort. The accommodative system works very closely with the vergence system.
Vergence system disorders - A vergence eye movement consists of the eyes move together in opposite directions from each other. For example, if we look at a book our eyes turn in to look at it. This eye movement is called convergence. Our eyes diverge, or turn out, when we look up from the book to the chalk board. The vergence system works very closely with the accommodative system.
Ocular motility disorders - Eye movements during which the eyes move together in the same direction are also important in reading. Two of these types of eye movements are saccades and pursuits. Pursuit eye movements are the motion both eyes make when following a moving target. Saccadic eye movements are quick movements the eyes make together in the same direction to look from one object to another as in reading from one word to another or from the end of one line of print to the beginning of another. Sometimes these movements are inaccurate which makes reading difficult.
Visual motor integration difficulties - Many daily tasks require good eye-hand coordination. Difficulties in this area can cause delays in school age children with learning certain skills such as hand writing, cutting with scissors, and some sports.
Visual perceptual delays - The way we visual percieve the world around us requires many aspects of visual information processing. A few of these aspects are directionality, visual memory, and visual-spatial relationships. A delay in any of these or other visual perceptual skills can cause delays in learning.
How do I know if my child or I need vision therapy?
If you have any concerns about your vision please contact your optometrist right away. If you need to find an optometrist near you please use our directories. If you aren't sure if you or your child needs vision therapy, please look at this list of signs provided by P.A.V.E, Parents Active for Vision Education.
What types of activities are done in vision therapy?
Many of the activities done in vision therapy seem like games, while others require much concentration. Some activities appear easy at first, but then become considerably more difficult when prisms, lenses or a patch is added to the activity. A comprehensive vision therapy program will include take-home activities.
