Vision is More Than 20/20

While perfect eyesight is known as 20/20, this number does not describe perfect vision. Much like listening is more than just hearing, vision is more than just seeing. Vision is the brain’s ability to process information that the eyes take in from their surroundings. Because the brain is flexible, constantly learning and adapting, it can be retrained when vision is inefficient and visual skills are weak or underdeveloped.

Optometric Vision Therapy is a highly effective, non-invasive, non-surgical means of permanently correcting visual issues. Through the use of lenses, prisms, and other optical equipment, Vision Therapy can improve a variety of symptoms including: headaches, blurry near or distance vision, double vision, eyestrain, tiring eyes, and a plethora of other symptoms. Vision Therapy can also have a positive effect on hand-eye coordination, body coordination, balance, sports performance, driving skills, and, most importantly, self-esteem. All in all, when vision is improved, many other aspects of your life improve as well.

Learn what our functional vision evaluation can reveal about your vision from this Eye Exam.

Please read our articles for more information.

Vision Therapy
Some visual conditions cannot be treated adequately with just glasses, contact lenses and/or patching, and are best resolved through a program of Vision Therapy.

What is Vision Therapy?

Vision Therapy is an individualized, supervised, treatment program designed to correct visual-motor and/or perceptual-cognitive deficiencies. Vision Therapy sessions include procedures designed to enhance the brain’s ability to control:

• eye alignment,
• eye tracking and eye teaming,
• eye focusing abilities,
• eye movements, and/or
• visual processing.

Visual-motor skills and endurance are developed through the use of specialized computer and optical devices, including therapeutic lenses, prisms, and filters. During the final stages of therapy, the patient’s newly acquired visual skills are reinforced and made automatic through repetition and by integration with motor and cognitive skills.

Who Benefits from Vision Therapy?

Children and adults with visual challenges, such as:

Learning-related Vision Problems
Vision Therapy can help those individuals who lack the necessary visual skills for effective reading, writing, and learning (i.e., eye movement and focusing skills, convergence, eye-hand activity, visual memory skills, etc.).

To learn more about learning-related vision problems, visit this web page on:
All About Learning Related Vision Problems
Poor Binocular (2-eyed) Coordination
Vision Therapy helps individuals develop normal coordination and teamwork of the two eyes (binocular vision). When the two eyes fail to work together as an effective team, performance in many areas can suffer (reading, sports, depth perception, eye contact, etc.).

To learn more about binocular (two-eyed) vision, visit this web page on:
What is Binocular Vision?
Convergence Insufficiency (common near vision disorder)

Recent scientific research — funded by the National Eye Institute and conducted at Mayo Clinic — has proven that in-office Vision Therapy is the best treatment for Convergence Insufficiency.

To learn all about Convergence Insufficiency, go to:
What is Convergence Insufficiency Disorder?
Amblyopia (lazy eye), Diplopia (double vision), and Strabismus (cross-eyed, wandering eye, eye turns, etc.)
Vision Therapy programs offer much higher cure rates for turned eyes and/or lazy eye when compared to eye surgery, glasses, and/or patching, without therapy. The earlier the patient receives Vision Therapy the better, however, our office successfully treats patients well past 21 years of age.

Recent scientific research has disproven the long held belief that children with lazy eye, or amblyopia, can’t be helped after age 7.

To learn more about crossed eyes, eye turns, or lazy eye, visit this web page on:
What is Amblyopia or Lazy Eye?
Stress-related Visual Problems – Blurred Vision, Visual Stress from Reading and Computers, Eye Strain Headaches, and/or Vision-induced Stomachaches or Motion Sickness

21st century life demands more from our vision than ever before. Many children and adults constantly use their near vision at school, work and home. Environmental stresses on the visual system (including excessive computer use or close work) can induce blurred vision, eyestrain, headaches, etc.

To learn about these visual problems and vision therapy, see:
What is a Common Near Vision Problem and the Leading Cause of Eyestrain, Blurred Vision, Double Vision, and/or Headaches?

Visual Rehabilitation for Special Needs – Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Stroke, Birth Injury, Brain Damage, Head Injury, Whiplash, Cerebral Palsy, MS, etc.
Vision can be compromised as a result of neurological disorders or trauma to the nervous system. Vision Therapy can effectively treat the visual consequences of brain trauma (including double vision).

To learn more about visual rehabilitation with vision therapy, see:
Visual Rehabilitation following Brain Damage, Birth Injury, Head Injury, Stroke, Acquired Brain Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), etc.
Visual Rehabilitation for Special Needs – Developmental Delays, Visual Perceptual Visual-Motor Deficits, Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders

To learn more about vision therapy as it relates to developmental delays or disorders, see:
Vision Therapy for Visual Perceptual Visual-Motor Deficits.

Sports Vision Improvement
Strong visual skills are critical to sports success. Not much happens in sports until your eyes instruct your hands and body as to what to do! We can measure and successfully improve eye-hand coordination, visual reaction time, peripheral vision, eye focusing, eye tracking and teaming, visualization skills, and more. Find out how children and adults improve coordination and sports ability through Vision Therapy.
Vision Therapy can be the answer to many visual problems. Don’t hesitate to contact our office with your questions.

To read definitions of Vision Therapy by outside sources, see What is Vision Therapy? and/or Vision Therapy? Self-help Eye Exercises?. To browse through hundreds of stories writtten by parents, teachers, adults and children, go to a national of catalog of Vision Therapy Success Stories.

Please note: In-office therapy under the direction of a behavioral optometrist using prisms, filters and lenses, as used with our patients, is far more effective than home-based therapy.