Select the question you are interested in from the list below:
- What is vision therapy?
- Can vision therapy help with learning problems?
- What scientific research has been done supporting vision therapy?
- What is “orthoptics”?
- What is a learning-related visual disorder or vision-based learning problem?
- The occupational therapist said my child has visual motor problems; can you clarify what this means?
- The teacher said my child has trouble tracking; how is that related to vision?
- My eye doctor said my child has a binocular vision dysfunction; what is that?
- Approximately how many children are affected by undetected vision problems that interfere with learning?
- How effective is computerized vision therapy compared to other vision therapy programs?
- How long do most visual therapy programs run?
- Is there an age range where vision therapy is not an option? Or are there specific deficits, such as lazy eye, that cannot be treated after a certain age?
- Who administers vision therapy?
- Does vision therapy cure learning disorders, such as ADD or dyslexia?
- Does vision therapy work for visual spatial learners?
- What if a child has sensory integration issues?
1. What is vision therapy?
Vision therapy is a non-surgical course for treating many common visual deficits, such as poor tracking, double vision, inadequate focusing abilities and lazy eye. The course of treatment varies greatly from one individual to the next, but typically includes a series of eye exercises that strengthen the eyes and visual system. For more information, please see our What is Vision Therapy page.
2. Can vision therapy help with learning problems?
The large majority of learning is vision-based. Consequently, developmental optometrists find that treating vision problems facilitates the learning process. These types of learning problems are often referred to as "Learning Related Vision Problems". It is, in fact, well accepted that many learning problems are only the symptom of an undetected vision problem.
For school-age children, in particular, it is very important that vision problems be detected and treated. Untreated vision problems can cause great frustration and undo stress in what should otherwise be an exciting period of learning.
Vision therapy does not treat learning disorders, such as ADD/ADHD or dyslexia, but does treat vision problems that cause attention and behavioral problems as well as many learning difficulties. These vision problems have often been misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD and other learning disorders.
3. What scientific research has been done supporting Vision Therapy?
In 1988, the American Optometric Association reviewed 238 scientific articles relating to vision therapy.
The findings of this review were published in the Journal of the American Optometric Association. This publication defined vision therapy as "a clinical approach for correcting and ameliorating the effects of eye movement disorders, non-strabismic binocular dysfunctions, focusing disorders, strabismus, amblyopia, nystagmus, and certain visual perceptual (information processing) disorders." It also stated, "It is evident from the research that there is scientific support for the efficacy of vision therapy.”
For individual research reports supporting the use of vision therapy, please click here.
4. What is "orthoptics"?
Orthoptics is another term for vision therapy. In explaining coverage, insurance companies will often refer to vision therapy programs as “orthoptics”.
5. What is a learning-related visual disorder or vision-based learning problem?
These terms are used interchangeably to describe a number of vision problems that interfere with one's ability to read, learn and perform visual tasks necessary for schoolwork.
6. The occupational therapist said my child has visual motor problems; can you clarify what this means?
"Visual motor" refers to the ability to use vision to help guide writing and drawing. It is normally measured by a child’s ability to copy shapes, letters, or numbers from a picture.
It is normal for children to have some trouble with visual motor tasks during early development. It is an ability that must be learned and developed over time. However, extensive difficulty that causes a child to fall behind in school requires that the root of the problem be determined and remedied. The source of the problem is often due to poorly developed visual skills which fortunately can be corrected with vision therapy.
If you have been told your child has visual motor problems, you need to schedule a developmental vision evaluation.
7. The teacher said my child has trouble tracking; how is that related to vision?
The eyes and visual system spend much of the day performing “tracking” activities. Common activities, such as reading, or looking at pictures, rely on quick tracking movements of the eye from one word to the next, or from one object to another. These movements normally go unnoticed by the person doing them, but are a critical element to sight.
8. My eye doctor said my child has a binocular vision dysfunction; what is that?
The right and left eyes each see a different image of the world. For instance, you may have noticed that when you close one eye, and then the other, that the image from each eye is slightly different. The images from each eye must combine properly to create a final three-dimensional image.
In some cases, the eyes don't work together as they should. This causes various symptoms such as poor depth perception, blurry vision, a sense of words moving around on a page and more.
9. Approximately how many children are affected by undetected vision problems that interfere with learning?
One out of four children struggle with reading and learning because of undiagnosed vision problems.
According to a conservative estimate from the American Optometric Association, "Sixty percent of children with learning disabilities have undiagnosed vision problems."
10. How effective is computerized vision therapy compared to other vision therapy programs?
Generally, the computerized programs produce better results faster. Children enjoy the computer therapy procedures which are designed more like games, thus keeping them more motivated. The programs also give scores, so the therapists can give the children known goals to achieve, increasing the motivation.
Additionally, the older, non-computerized methods of vision therapy rely on subjective evaluation by the doctor or therapists based on what the patient tells them. The advanced computer programs are created in such a way that the exercise cannot be completed correctly unless the patient is, in fact making progress. It's a technological advance in the field of vision therapy that is proving very successful.
Therapy at Cantwell Vision Therapy Centers is almost exclusively computerized due to the high level of quality therapy we can provide using this technology.
11. How long do most visual therapy programs run?
The length of any vision therapy program depends on the individual patient's specific diagnoses. Generally, an average vision therapy program will last somewhere between 6 and 10 months. However, a patient with a less severe vision problem may only need 4 months of therapy and a patient with more severe developmental vision issues may need 12 - 14 months of therapy.
It is important to understand that in the milder cases sometimes Dr. Cantwell is able to prescribe reading glasses which can often resolve the patient's difficulties and there is no need for vision therapy. During the evaluation, Dr. Cantwell is able to determine if reading glasses alone can help or if therapy is necessary and, if so, make a reasonably accurate assessment of how many months of therapy your child will need to correct any vision problems found.
12. Is there an age range where vision therapy is not an option? Or are there specific deficits, such as lazy eye, that cannot be treated after a certain age?
Not at all. More and more adults are discovering the effectiveness of vision therapy in treating their visual deficits.
For links to individual stories, please visit our vision links page.
13. Who administers vision therapy?
Dr. Cantwell will design the vision therapy program specifically for your child. Implementation of the program will be done by our vision therapists who are well trained in how to work with children as well as vision therapy. The program and your child's progress are continually monitored by Dr. Cantwell.
14. Does vision therapy cure learning disorders, such as ADD or dyslexia?
Vision therapy does not treat learning disorders, such as ADD/ADHD or dyslexia, but does treat vision problems that cause attention and behavioral problems as well as many learning difficulties.
17. Does vision therapy work for visual spatial learners?
The term “visual-spatial learner” refers to someone who thinks primarily in pictures, and relies heavily on vision for learning new things. The opposite is an “auditory-sequential learner” who relies more on listening and following step-by-step instructions.
Visual-spatial learners respond well to vision therapy.
18. What if a child has sensory integration issues?
Remember that vision and motor skills are closely linked, and therefore, vision is a very important component in the overall sensory development of a child. Therefore, while vision therapy would not be the primary therapy for treating sensory integration issues, it very often plays a critical role in the overall program for children with these problems.
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