Vision Therapy

What is vision therapy?

Vision therapy includes treatments and activities that are aimed at improving vision, perception, and eye function. Although vision therapy is most often performed in pediatric patients to help prevent or treat issues most likely to develop during the growth and development phase of childhood, it can also be used to treat some vision disorders in adults as well. Vision therapy uses exercises to promote better vision. Ideally, patients can decrease or eliminate their reliance on special lenses or avoid long-term consequences of vision problems like amblyopia (“lazy eye”) or strabismus (misalignment of the eyes).

How can I tell if my child could benefit from vision therapy?

Before therapy is prescribed, a comprehensive eye exam is performed to test the function of the eyes and assess the child for any vision problems. Assessments address several different functions, including:

• Eye muscle movement and performance, including how well the eyes track a moving object
• Tests to evaluate peripheral vision and depth perception
• Tests to assess how well the eyes function together (eye “teaming”)
• Assessments of visual acuity or how clearly objects are seen at different distances
• Dilated exams to examine the retina and optic nerve
• Assessments of spatial projection and fixation
• Evaluations of visual memory and color perception
• Assessments of focusing ability and visual motor skills and coordination

The specific types of assessments may be tailored to the symptoms a child is experiencing, or it can include an array of tests to screen for problems, especially in children with a family history of eye-related problems.

Can adults benefit from vision therapy?

While most eye issues are best corrected in childhood when the eyes and vision skills are still developing, vision therapy can help some adults as well. The best way to know if vision therapy would be appropriate is to schedule an appointment for an assessment.