Whether your eye doctor has recommended vision therapy for you or your child, there’s no reason to be intimidated. Vision therapy can help a variety of vision problems rather than turning to eyeglasses or other corrective options. A series of exercises are utilized to help strengthen the connection between your brain and eyes, so the vision system learns how to correct itself naturally. Here at Art of Optiks, we have a team of award-winning doctors experienced in this advanced form of physical therapy for your eyes. Like anything new, starting vision therapy for the first time is a journey into the unknown, but we are here to share what you can expect at your first vision therapy appointment so you are comfortable every step of the way.
What Is Vision Therapy?
Vision therapy is an advanced and helpful form of physical therapy that eye doctors recommend for children and adults around the world. At times, your brain and eyes can have difficulties working together as a team, and vision therapy helps retrain and strengthen this connection. Vision therapy has been used by eye doctors for many years and has proven to be effective in treating a variety of common vision problems like amblyopia, strabismus, double vision, and more. If you are struggling with a vision problem that cannot be treated with eyeglasses, contacts, or another form of vision correction, your eye doctor may recommend vision therapy.
Your vision therapy program will be designed specifically for your unique needs so that you can get the best results possible. The length of vision therapy can differ from person to person, but you will be asked to attend vision therapy appointments for an allotted period to complete a series of personalized exercises. Later on, we will share a few of the tools your eye doctor might use doing your vision therapy sessions but for now, take a look at the variety of vision problems that vision therapy can help:
- Double vision
- Eye fatigue
- Focusing
- Strabismus
- Amblyopia
- Eye teaming and tracking
- Hand-eye coordination
- Convergence insufficiency
- Visual perception and processing
- Depth perception and 3D vision
How to Know if Vision Therapy Is Needed
While completing a pediatric or comprehensive eye exam is the best way to determine if vision therapy is necessary, there are various symptoms you can also look out for. If a child is having sudden difficulties in school or sports, it is worthwhile scheduling a pediatric eye exam to assess the performance of eye-tracking and other vital functions. As an adult, if you notice frequent headaches during screen use, blurry vision, or unusual eye strain or fatigue, scheduling a comprehensive eye exam with your eye doctor is beneficial. Your eye doctor will perform a binocular vision evaluation during your appointment to rule out any underlying medical conditions and determine if vision therapy would be helpful. Below are a few common symptoms that may be relieved with vision therapy:
- Losing place while reading
- Words or letters jumping around
- Fluctuating vision
- Headaches
- Eye strain or fatigue
- Blurry distance vision
- Re-reading lines or losing concentration
Does Vision Therapy Work?
Many have found vision therapy to be incredibly effective as it helps improve visual tracking, eye movements, focusing, eye teaming and alignment, and visual processing. Your eye doctor will help you train your brain, eyes, visual pathways, and eye muscles with personalized exercises so your eyes work together and focus correctly. During your vision therapy sessions, you will learn various techniques to help avoid eyestrain and headaches during screen use, improve your sports performance, judge distances, and more. Everyone is different, and your eye doctor will develop a plan based on your unique needs and weaknesses.
Your First Appointment
During your first vision therapy appointment, your eye doctor will conduct a series of tests to measure how your brain and eyes are currently performing and account for any existing vision problems. Collecting this information will help your eye doctor develop your personalized treatment plan based on individual needs and ailments. Vision therapy programs include exercises that are completed both at home and in-office. In-office sessions can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and the time frame of treatment varies from person to person. Your eye doctor will continually monitor your vision and perform progress evaluations regularly to track any areas of improvement. Since your vision therapy treatment plan is designed for you specifically, there are a variety of tools, exercises, and techniques your eye doctor may incorporate into your sessions, such as:
- Prisms
- Balance boards
- Therapeutic lenses
- Filters
- Occluders or patches
- Timed electronic targets
- And more
Schedule Your Vision Therapy Session Today
Are you ready to start enhancing the quality of your own or a loved one’s vision? If so, you have found a team of industry-leading doctors that are eager to work with you. Whether your child is struggling with school or you have noticed changes in your own vision, the first step is scheduling a pediatric or comprehensive eye exam so our doctors can determine if vision therapy is the way to go. Once vision therapy is suggested for you or your child, we will schedule your first session right away. If you are ready to strengthen your vision and help your brain and eyes work more efficiently as a team, Art of Optiks is here for you.
