What is optometric vision therapy and what do you expect?

Optometric Vision Therapy is a medically necessary treatment plan designed to improve overall visual function and performance. It is prescribed and provided by a behavioral optometrist. Optometric vision therapy can be thought of as physical therapy for the eyes to strengthen eye muscles. But It is much more than that.  

ALL THESE BINOCULAR VISION PROBLEMS INCLUDING STRABISMUS ARE NOT EYE MUSCLES PROBLEMS. THEY ARE RATHER SENSORIMOTOR OR NEROMUSCULAR PROBLEMS.   These problems are very complex and are NOT treatable simply with surgery and a pair of glasses, which prescribed through routine eye exam. The BEST choice of the treatment is optometric vision therapy with high success rate. 

An Optometric Vision Therapy program must include therapeutic lenses prescription and training lenses application in the training program. The therapy program is designed to train the brain to control eyes more effectively and allows one to quickly take in, use and understand more information over a larger area of space and make more accurate decision and quicker action with improved depth perception, better spatial processing skill and better reaction time. 

Optometric Vision Therapy is an individualized treatment program that involves the movement of the body and brain. Vision is dynamic. We learn to see through movement. The program promotes continued development of the visual process, which is necessary for us to keep up with the changing demands in our dynamic living environment, which we all face over the course of our lives. The program will improve eye hand coordination.

Optometric Vision Therapy is designed to eliminate or improve conditions amblyopia (without traditional patching), strabismus (without invasive surgery), convergence insufficiency, eye movement dysfunction and visual processing problems. It can also be very helpful with treatment of post-concussion vision symptoms. Many of these problems are not treatable with glasses or surgery or eye drops. 

Optometric Vision Therapy also is a very effective option in improving the visual skills necessary for efficient school, work, or sports performance. After program, most people improve the visual symptoms, like headache, eye strain and feel more confident, improved self-esteem, less anxious and happier. 

Is Optometric Vision Therapy only for children?

Optometric Vision Therapy works for people of all ages, from birth to death and in between, Research showed that the plasticity of the brain lasts throughout human’s life. The traditional “critical period” of treatment is out of date. Our brain has the flexibility to learn new skills, including visual skills throughout life.  More so, research also have shown that brain changes with functional MRI after optometric vision therapy and the changes in visual skills with vision therapy are long lasting.

We are born with eyes but not vision. Vision is learned in our early years of life. Vision skills are like other skills, once they are learned, the brain retains the ability. For example, hitting a ball, keyboard or riding a bike are skills that once we learned, we have it for life. Optometric vision therapy is working on brain through eyes and enables new visual skills to use more efficiently and comfortably in school, work, sport and driving safety, which in turn will impact our wellness and mental health in a positive way. 

List of binocular vision problems, which Optometric Vision Therapy can treat 

Many functional vision problems can be significantly
improved through Optometric Vision Therapy. Optometric Vision Therapy program
is a treatment plan for dysfunction including, but not limited to:

• Ocular motility dysfunction – eye movement disorders

 • Vergence dysfunction – inefficiency in using both eyes together

• Strabismus – misalignment of the eyes

 • Amblyopia – lazy eye

 • Accommodative disorders – focusing problems

 • Visual information processing disorders

 • Visual sensory and motor integration

 • Visual rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury which results in inefficient visual
     information processing (e.g., stroke)

 These visual conditions are best treated with optometric vision therapy, which enables an individual to learn more efficient ways to perform visually. 

What is our Optometric Vision Therapy program look like?

 We offer binocular Vision assessment, Vision information processing assessment and Genetic testing in order to design a personalized program of vision care. 

If optometric vision therapy is indicated, we recommends a specific treatment plan/program for you. We offer different levels of program of care to meet your need and your goal.

Our office provides holistic Optometric Vision Therapy program.   The program include stress relief lens prescription, nutrition recommendation, Vision hygiene and sleeping hygiene recommendation, optometric light therapy and a programmed combination of in- office  vision therapy and home vision therapy. We extensively utilized Lenses, prisms, optical instruments to help our patients  learn to use vision more effectively. Visual skills need to be developed until they become automatic and integrated with other visual as well as cognitive skills. 

As with most therapeutic treatments, the extent of success is also linked to patient compliance. 

What are the outcomes for Optometric Vision Therapy program?

The principal benefits of optometric vision therapy are to improve visual skills and visual information processing skills. Patients learn
to use their vision more efficiently and comfortably.

1.      The ability to follow a moving object smoothly, accurately and effortlessly with both eyes and at the same time think, talk, read or listening without losing alignment of the eyes. This skill is used to follow a ball or a person, to guide a pencil while writing, to read numbers on
moving cars, etc.

2.     The ability to fix the eyes on a series of stationary objects quickly and accurately with both eyes, and at the same time know what each object is. This skill is used to read words from left to right, add columns of numbers, read maps, etc.

3.      The ability to change focus quickly without blur, from far to near and from near to far effortlessly and at same time look for meaning and obtain understanding from the symbols. This skill is used to copy from the chalkboard, to watch the road ahead and check speedometer, to read a book and watch TV across the room, etc.

4.     The ability to team two eyes together. There is no suppression or metal block information from one eye or other. The shutting off information to one eye lowers understanding and speed, increase fatigue and distractibility, and shortens attention span. This skill in very important to efficiently process visual information and improve comprehension, attention, and memory.

5.     The ability to see over a large area in the periphery while pointing the eyes straight ahead. For safety, self-confidence and to read rapidly, a person needs to see “the big picture”. To know easily where they are on a page while reading, etc.  this skill also helps to stay calm and very important in driving safety and sport as well.

6.     The ability to see and recognize in a short look. This skill allows one to see and know an object, people or words in a very small fraction of a second. This skill is important in reading, driving safety and sports performance.

7.     The ability to see in depth. A child should be able to throw a beanbag into a hat 10 feet away, to judge the visual distance and control arm movements, A adult needs to see and judge how far it is to the curb, make accurate visual decision about the speed and distances of other cars
to be safe, for an athlete to be able to judge where the balls and make quick decision on action.

8.     The ability to navigate the space without running into things and improve eye hand coordination. This skill is involved in all life activities.