Vision Therapy

FAQs on Vision Therapy:

What is Vision Therapy?

“Optometric Vision Therapy” refers to a progressive program of vision procedures, each performed under medical supervision and personalized to fit the visual needs of every patient. Vision therapy aims to "teach" the visual system to correct itself if and where possible. This is very different from eyeglasses (which compensate for vision problems) and eye surgeries (which directly alter the eye or muscles of the eye).

Programs are non-surgical, customizable, and feature visual activities designed to correct certain vision problems and/or improve visual skills. Generally, vision therapy is conducted in-office once or twice a week (depending on treatment needs), during sessions of 30 minutes to an hour. Occasionally, vision therapy may be supplemented with procedures done at home between appointments. Successful vision therapy outcomes are achieved through a therapeutic process that depends on the active engagement of the prescribing doctor, the vision therapist, the patient, and (in the case of children) the child's parents.

Who Can Benefit from Vision Therapy?

Though often associated with children, vision therapy can be beneficial for patients of all ages. In addition to addressing certain visual problems (such as lazy eye, crossed eyes, and double vision), vision therapy may be helpful for patients having problems following an accident or head injury. 

Vision Therapy is most commonly prescribed to:

• Help patients develop or improve fundamental visual skills and abilities
• Improve visual comfort, ease, and efficiency
• Change how a patient processes or interprets visual information

In the case of learning disabilities, vision therapy is prescribed to address visual problems which interfere with reading, learning and educational instruction.

My Vision is 20/20. Why Might I Need Vision Therapy?

Vision involves more than simply being able to see clearly, and most importantly, vision therapy is not prescribed to improve the strength of the eye. Rather, it targets the processing of the images we see each day. After producing a clear image, the retina in our eyes relay visual information to the brain, which must then interpret and process that information. If our eyes aren't working together properly to produce a single clear image, excess energy is used to keep the eyes aligned and to maintain the clarity of the images we see. This takes away from the brain's processing and comprehension power and can lead to a range of problems, including:

• Eyestrain/Tired Eyes
• Reading Difficulties
• Poor Comprehension
• Headaches
• Poor Hand-Eye Coordination
• Dizziness or Motion Sickness
• Fatigue

The reason vision therapy is most often associated with children, is because these symptoms tend to affect young learners very strongly. About 80% of what is learned in school is via information that is presented visually.  Therefore, undetected or untreated vision problems can interfere with a child or adult's ability to perform to their full learning potential.

How Will I Know if I Could Benefit from Vision Therapy?

During your routine eye exam at Bay Family Eye Care, our doctors and staff will screen each patient's ocular muscles and complete visual system. If we spot any red flags during these routine tests, we will perform additional procedures and exams to determine if Vision Therapy would be beneficial to your specific visual needs.

Ready to schedule an appointment? Our Bay Family Eye Care team is ready to meet you. Our practice offers a range of issue-specific services, including but not limited to vision therapy. The solution is clear: schedule an appointment online or call (410) 796-4555 today to set up your visit, and allow us to take a look at your eyes!