Improving vision isn’t just about achieving 20/20 clarity; it’s also about enhancing the way we engage with and understand the world around us.
Vision therapy is a non-invasive and personalized program to improve visual skills, like eye function and coordination to facilitate finer visual and ocular health outcomes.
Anyone, regardless of age, can experience the benefits of vision therapy. The best time to start is when vision concerns are detected, as early intervention facilitates better visual outcomes.
What is Vision Therapy?
Vision therapy is a customized program designed to improve visual skills by targeting brain-eye communication, teaching the eyes how to work together more efficiently.
As humans, we have binocular vision, where each eye holds slightly different pieces of visual information, but both eyes are still meant to work together.
Visual therapy helps correct any problems in binocular vision by realigning and strengthening ocular muscles by focusing on:
- Ocular motility
- Accommodation
- Depth perception
- Eye tracking
- Focus adjustment
- Eye coordination
Glasses and contacts are a great way to improve visual clarity, but don’t address every vision-related concern. Vision therapy steps in by addressing the functional and neurological aspects of vision.
How Does Vision Therapy Work?
Recognizing that vision is a learned skill, like playing an instrument, rather than innate, is foundational to vision therapy. It identifies that visual deficiencies can be overcome by learning.
Vision therapy works by harnessing the brain’s ability to form new neural connections, known as neuroplasticity. Optometrists specializing in vision therapy develop a personalized treatment plan targeting visual functions to refine a patient’s visual skills.
It’s difficult to explain exactly what happens during a session, as this program is highly personalized. However, optometrists use a variety of resources, including specific exercises, tools, and techniques to enhance how the eyes focus, move, and align.
Through repetitive practice and gradually challenging tasks, therapy rewires the brain-eye connection, making it more efficient. Vision therapy enhances a person’s overall visual performance, contributing to better reading, learning, and daily activities by targeting and improving these underlying visual functions.
This holistic approach recognizes that vision is dynamic, meaning it’s not just about what we see, but also how we see and interact with our surroundings.
When is Vision Therapy Needed?
The benefits of vision therapy are substantial, but not necessary for everyone.
It’s primarily designed for patients experiencing specific visual challenges that can’t be sufficiently addressed through corrective lenses alone, for example:
- Strabismus (Crossed Eyes): Vision therapy can help train muscles and the brain to correct eye alignment.
- Convergence insufficiency: When the eyes struggle to focus together on nearby objects, therapy can improve coordination and reduce symptoms like double vision.
- Amblyopia: Commonly known as “lazy eye,” this condition can often be improved with targeted training that encourages eye-brain communication.
- Visual processing issues: Challenges with tracking, depth perception, or reading comprehension can be addressed to strengthen cognitive-visual links.
Beyond sharp vision, basic visual skills are necessary for maintaining good ocular health and vision. A problem with any one of these skills can impact one’s quality of life, especially for children, who rely on these skills for learning.
Some signs that suggest a patient may benefit from vision therapy generally include:
- Difficulty maintaining focus on reading or other close-up tasks.
- Frequent headaches or eye strain while working or studying.
- Skipping lines or losing place while reading.
- Trouble with hand-eye coordination or spatial awareness.
- Complaints of blurry or double vision.
- Difficulty concentrating, particularly on visual tasks.
- Tilted head position or covering one eye to see clearly
When is the Right Time for Vision Therapy?
The good news is there’s no strict age limit for vision therapy.
Both children and adults can benefit from the skills learned in these programs because the brain’s ability to form new neural connections is ongoing. This allows people of any age to target and improve visual function.
However, there are some advantages to starting vision therapy early.
Younger patients may experience quicker adaptability because of greater brain plasticity. With that being said, adults can also achieve meaningful results, as visual processing and eye-brain coordination remain malleable, albeit more gradually, throughout life.
When Should Someone Start Vision Therapy?
The earlier a visual concern is identified, the better as starting vision therapy at the right time prevents long-term complications.
Routine eye exams play a pivotal role in identifying and addressing visual concerns like amblyopia or convergence insufficiency.
Annual eye exams are encouraged for children because their eyes still grow and develop, making them more susceptible to visual changes. Meanwhile, most adults can get by with a routine exam every two years.
Unaddressed visual concerns in children can snowball into academic challenges and social struggles. Vision therapy during childhood sets the stage for smoother educational development and daily life. For instance, early intervention in a child struggling with visual tracking can improve their reading comprehension and confidence in school.
Addressing symptoms as soon as they appear allows therapy to target and improve immediate concerns while preventing further decline in visual performance.
Despite the benefits of starting young, patients shouldn’t feel discouraged if vision therapy begins later. Adults experiencing eye strain, double vision, or difficulty focusing may find therapy very beneficial.
Ultimately, there’s no wrong time to commit to improving visual health and function, but early intervention encourages better outcomes.
Schedule a Visit
Vision therapy addresses underlying vision concerns using specialized exercises, tools, and techniques to encourage better visual outcomes. The key to ideal results is remaining consistent and starting as soon as possible.
Connect with our team at Foresee Eyecare to schedule a vision therapy consultation.
