Vision therapy is a form of therapy that uses eye movements and other techniques to treat vision problems. It can be used to treat conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes) and convergence insufficiency (eyes that can't see objects up close). Vision therapy also helps people with learning disabilities, reading problems, headaches/ migraines, dizziness/ vertigo, people who have sustained a head injury or concussion and other challenges that could be related to vision.
Vision therapy is a form of treatment that uses exercises and activities to improve your eyesight. It can be used to treat lazy eye, double vision or other conditions affecting the eyes.
It's not just for kids! Adults who have struggled with their vision their whole lives are often surprised when they find out that there is an option for them to improve it, too. Even if you wear glasses or contact lenses regularly or even if you've had LASIK surgery. Vision therapy may still be beneficial for your eyesight overall health.
Our doctors are not optometrists or ophthalmologists and are not qualified to diagnose or treat conditions related to eyesight. We will refer you to a qualified eye doctor if you have not already seen one to rule out any visual issues. Our doctors are looking for issues with dynamic vision which is different from vision. Dynamic vision is different from static acuity or “20/20” vision. Just because an individual has good eyesight, does not mean they can track objects in motion well.
Dynamic vision skills include:
● Eye Teaming: How well the eyes work in tandem to accurately select and process visual information.
● Ocular-motor: How well the eyes can follow a moving object, or move to fixate from one object to another.
● Vestibular: How well the eyes can maintain stable gaze while the body is in motion.
● Accommodation/Vergence: How well the eyes can adjust focus and maintain binocular vision when looking at objects at different distances.
● Peripheral: How quickly the eyes can identify and respond to visual cues on the edge of the visual field.
● Contrast Sensitivity: How well the eyes determine the incremental differences between light and dark shades that appear in the same field of view.
For example:
People who struggle with focusing on objects at different distances may benefit from vision therapy because it helps them learn how to shift their focus from one object to the next accurately.
Who Needs Vision Therapy?
If you are having trouble with your dynamic vision, it's important to have them checked out by an eye doctor first. Some signs of vision problems include:
● Difficulty reading or seeing things clearly
● Frequent headaches/ migraines and/or dizziness
● Trouble catching balls and other objects thrown to them
● Eye strain
● Fatigue that sets in when using the eyes.
● People who have suffered a head injury (mTBI/ Concussion)
● Set your computer and phone screen to reduce eye strain. The blue light emitted from these devices can be harmful to your eyes. Change the setting to eliminate blue light or try to avoid looking at them for long periods of time.
● Get enough sleep. A good night's rest is essential for good vision and overall health, so make sure you get enough sleep each night!
● Eat a healthy diet. Eating foods rich in vitamin A, C, D and E is crucial for maintaining healthy eyesight--and it may even help improve your vision if you already have poor eyesight! Some examples include carrots (vitamin A), kale or collard greens (vitamin C), salmon (vitamin D), nuts like almonds or walnuts (omega 3 fatty acids) as well as other foods rich in antioxidants like berries which have been shown in studies done by Harvard Medical School researchers that they could slow down macular degeneration which causes blindness among older adults over 60 years old.
If you're interested in improving your vision, and you have already seen an eye doctor. The first step is to make an appointment with one of our doctors. They can assess whether you have any issues with binocular coordination of your eyes and prescribe exercises that will help strengthen those muscles.
If you don't have access to a vision therapist. There are still several things you can do at home:
● Focus on one object at a time, then let go of that focus and see if everything comes back into focus again (you should be able to see two images instead of one). Then switch eyes and repeat! This helps build up those muscles responsible for binocular coordination.
● Close one eye at a time while looking straight ahead; then switch sides again after five seconds or so. Do this exercise several times per day until both eyes are working together without strain or fatigue!
With all the information in this article, you should be ready to take action and improve your vision. We hope that these tips will help you see clearer than ever before!