Vision therapy is a type of rehabilitative treatment designed to correct various eye and vision problems. It’s like physical therapy, but for the eyes and brain. Vision therapy can help treat a variety of conditions that affect how the brain and eyes work together, improving visual skills, eye coordination, and eye health. It’s often used to treat functional vision problems, which aren’t just about how clearly a person can see, but how well the eyes and brain process visual information.
What Vision Therapy Can Treat:
- Amblyopia (Lazy Eye): A condition where one eye has reduced vision, often due to misalignment or lack of proper use during development.
- Strabismus (Crossed Eyes or Wandering Eyes): A misalignment of the eyes that can lead to double vision or difficulty focusing on a single point.
- Convergence Insufficiency: Difficulty with both eyes working together to focus on close-up objects.
- Tracking Problems: Difficulty following moving objects with both eyes, which can impact reading and coordination.
- Eye-teaming Issues: Trouble with the eyes working together as a team, which can cause double vision, fatigue, or difficulty focusing.
- Focusing Issues: Problems maintaining focus, especially for close work or after extended periods of reading.
- Binocular Vision Dysfunction: Problems with depth perception and eye coordination.
- Post-concussion vision issues: Many individuals who’ve experienced a concussion suffer from visual disturbances that can be addressed with therapy.
How Does Vision Therapy Work?
Vision therapy involves a series of customized exercises designed to improve the brain-eye connection, strengthen the eye muscles, and teach the brain how to process
visual information more efficiently. These exercises are tailored to the individual’s needs and may be performed both in the office with an eye care professional and/or at home.
Key Components of Vision Therapy:
- Eye Exercises: A variety of activities and exercises designed to improve eye coordination, focusing ability, and tracking skills.
- Prism Lenses: Special lenses that may be used to help train the eyes to work together and correct alignment problems.
- Binocular Vision Exercises: These focus on improving how the two eyes work together to create a single, clear image.
- Computer-Based Programs: Some therapies involve digital tools or software to practice eye coordination, tracking, and focusing exercises.
- Perceptual Training: Exercises to improve depth perception, visual-motor integration, and other visual skills necessary for tasks like reading or driving.
- Focusing Exercises: Techniques to improve the ability to change focus between near and far objects.
Therapy Sessions:
- In-office visits: Vision therapy typically starts with in-office sessions with an optometrist who specializes in vision therapy. These sessions may last 30-60 minutes and are done once or twice a The therapist will guide the patient through exercises designed to improve specific visual skills.
- Home exercises: Patients may be given homework to reinforce what’s being practiced in the office, like pencil push-ups (for convergence issues), eye-tracking exercises, the string with beads, or activities to improve focus.
Is Vision Therapy Effective?
Yes, for many conditions! However, the success of vision therapy depends on the specific condition being treated, the age of the patient, and how committed the patient is to doing the exercises both in-office and at home.
- Amblyopia: If caught early (typically in children), vision therapy can be highly effective in treating lazy It may involve strengthening the weaker eye through patching or eye exercises.
- Strabismus: Vision therapy can be a part of the treatment plan, particularly if surgery isn’t necessary. The therapy aims to improve the coordination and alignment of the eyes.
- Convergence Insufficiency: Studies have shown that vision therapy is the most effective treatment for this It helps to strengthen the eye muscles and improves the ability to focus on close-up objects.
- Post-concussion vision issues: Vision therapy can help people who’ve experienced a concussion regain visual function, particularly with issues like double vision, focusing problems, or eye strain.
Is Vision Therapy Right for You?
Vision therapy can benefit both children and adults with a variety of visual conditions. It’s especially useful when traditional treatments (like glasses or surgery) haven’t fully resolved the problem. Here are some signs that vision therapy might be needed:
- Frequent headaches or eye strain after reading, screen time, or close-up work
- Difficulty with reading comprehension, skipping words, or losing your place
- Double vision or trouble focusing on objects at different distances
- Poor hand-eye coordination or clumsiness
- Visual fatigue or discomfort during or after tasks that require visual concentration
