What is Vision Therapy?

Vision Therapy is a non-surgical, therapeutic treatment prescribed by an optometrist. Like physical therapy for the eyes and brain, vision therapy helps the visual system correct itself. Treatment includes a doctor prescribed program of activities and procedures directed by a vision therapist. These activities help the patient use the eyes efficiently and improve visual comfort. Utilizing lenses, instruments, exercises, and occlusion (eye patching), vision therapy improves the overall eye function and performance.

Symptoms of Vision Disorders

Symptoms of vision disorders can be difficult to notice, which is why it’s important to schedule annual eye exams. If you or your child experience any of the symptoms or display behaviors below, schedule an appointment to see an optometrist immediately.

Symptoms:

• Blurred vision at near
• Double vision
• Headaches with near work
• Words run together
• Burning, stinging, watery eyes
• Dizziness or nausea with near work
• Car sickness/motion sickness

Behaviors:

• Falls asleep when reading
• Skips or repeats lines when reading
• Short attention span
• Omits small words when reading
• Writes uphill or downhill
• Holds reading materials close
• Difficulty completing assignments in reasonable amount of time
  Covering or rubbing of eyes
• Tilting of the head or unusual posture
• Using a finger to maintain a place while reading
• Avoidance of books and television

Diagnosis

Scheduling a comprehensive eye exam with a licensed vision therapist or optometrist is the first step towards visual health and healing. These exams go more in depth than the annual eye exam in order to discover problems with how the eyes and brain function together. The tests measure vision acuity, eye teaming, focusing, tracking, perception, eye-hand coordination, and more.

There are many types of vision disorders, but the following are most common:

• Convergence Insufficiency (eye movements/tracking)
• Strabismus (crossed or turned eye)
• Amblyopia (lazy eye)
• Myopia (nearsightedness) and Hyperopia (farsightedness)
• Presbyopia (vision deterioration at close distances due to aging) • Astigmatism (malformed lens or mirror)

Treatment

Once a diagnosis has been given, the doctor will develop an individualized therapy program and set of treatment goals. The patient will meet with a trained vision therapist 1-2 times a week for a period of 3-12 months depending on the nature and severity of the patient’s vision disorder.

Treatment can include one or more of the following:

• Corrective Lenses
• Therapeutic Lenses
• Prism Lenses
• Optical Filters
• Occlusion (Eye Patches)
• Electronic Targets with Timing Mechanisms
• Computer Software
• Balance Boards
• Visual-motor-sensory Integration Training Devices

If you or your child experience any type of eye problems, call Tyler Vision Therapy to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with Dr. Neshia Rudd today!