Vision Therapy Is Effective Treatment

Vision therapy -- a type of physical therapy for the eyes and brain -- is a highly effective non-surgical treatment for many common visual problems such as lazy eye, crossed eyes, double vision, convergence insufficiency and some reading and learning disabilities. Many patients who have been told, "it's too late," or "you'll have to learn to live with it" have benefited from vision therapy.

In the case of learning disabilities, vision therapy is specifically directed toward resolving visual problems which interfere with reading, learning and educational instruction. Optometrists do not claim that vision therapy is a direct treatment for learning disabilities.

What is involved in a Vision Therapy program?

Vision therapy is --

• a progressive program of vision "exercises" or procedures;
• performed under doctor supervision;
• individualized to fit the visual needs of each patient;
• conducted either home-based: 15 minute sessions five days a week or in-office: 30-60 minute sessions once or twice a week 
• (depending on the case) 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.

Vision Therapy Is Not Just Eye Exercises

Vision Therapy is not to be confused with any self-directed self-help program of eye exercises which is or has been marketed to the public. Vision Therapy is supervised by optometric vision care professionals and various types of treatment devices are used (and some are regulated medical devices), such as:

• corrective lenses (regulated medical devices);
• therapeutic lenses (regulated medical devices);
• prism lenses (regulated medical devices);
• optical filters;
• eye patches or occluders
• electronic targets with timing mechanisms;
• computer software;
• visual-motor-sensory integration training devices

The first step in any Vision Therapy program is a comprehensive vision examination. Following a thorough evaluation, Dr. Belill can advise you as to whether Vision Therapy would be appropriate treatment.

September 18, 2008

Dear Dr. Belill,

Thank you for recommending the HTS Home Therapy System, PTS II iNet, and Dynamic Reader Program. It really made a difference in our son's reading and math skills. I knew the programs were a success when he read a college level book (Beowulf) and understood it. He looks forward to math now. I remember the look on his face when he conquered a math skill and simply said, "Mom, I get it now." He was so proud. The HTS Home Therapy System, PTS II iNet, and Dynamic Reader Program made a big difference.

My husband and I really appreciate being able to do these programs at home. We saved gas, time, and our other children got to do their own thing. Our family also shared in his success and progress through the three programs. We really got behind him when he would set his goal of the gold star. No matter where you were in the house everyone could hear: "hey everybody, I got a gold star!!!" Then we all got to share and cheer. The success in HTS Home Therapy System, PTS II iNet, and Dynamic Reader Program really boosted his confidence.

It was all worth it. It was hard sometimes to say "time to work those programs," but well worth it. It was also worth every single penny. The time and cost were rewarded with his confidence going off-the-charts. Reading and math are no longer a problem. He stated he can handle any challenge now. Wow!

Thank you again for recommending these programs for our son.

Sincerely,

The Elliott Family

INTRODUCTION

Society places a premium on efficient vision. Schools and most occupations require increasing amounts of printed and computer information to be handled accurately and in shorter periods of time. Vision is also a major factor in sports, crafts, and other pastimes. The efficiency of our visual system influences how we collect and process information. Repetitive demands on the visual system tend to create problems in susceptible individuals. Inefficient vision may cause an individual to slow down, be less accurate, experience excessive fatigue, or make errors. When these types of signs and symptoms appear, the individual's conscious attention to the visual process is required. This, in turn, may interfere with speed, accuracy, and comprehension of visual tasks. Many of these visual dysfunctions are effectively treated with vision therapy.

PERTINENT ISSUES

Vision is a product of our inherited potentials, our past experiences, and current information. Efficient visual functioning enables us to understand the world around us better and to guide our actions accurately and quickly. Age is not a deterrent to the achievement of successful vision therapy outcomes. Vision is the dominant sense and is composed of three areas of function: Visual pathway integrity including eye health, visual acuity, and refractive status. Visual skills including accommodation (eye focusing), binocular vision (eye teaming), and eye movements (eye tracking). Visual information processing including identification, discrimination, spatial awareness, and integration with other senses. Learning to read and reading for information require efficient visual abilities. The eyes must team precisely, focus clearly, and track quickly and accurately across the page. These processes must be coordinated with the perceptual and memory aspects of vision, which in turn must combine with linguistic processing for comprehension. To provide reliable information, this must occur with precise timing. Inefficient or poorly developed vision requires individuals to divide their attention between the task and the involved visual abilities. Some individuals have symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, eyestrain, errors, loss of place, and difficulty sustaining attention. Others may have an absence of symptoms due to the avoidance of visually demanding tasks.

VISION THERAPY

The human visual system is complex. The problems that can develop in our visual system require a variety of treatment options. Many visual conditions can be treated effectively with spectacles or contact lenses alone; however, some are most effectively treated with vision therapy. Vision therapy is a sequence of activities individually prescribed and monitored by the doctor to develop efficient visual skills and processing. It is prescribed after a comprehensive eye examination has been performed and has indicated that vision therapy is an appropriate treatment option. The vision therapy program is based on the results of standardized tests, the needs of the patient, and the patient's signs and symptoms. The use of lenses, prisms, filters, occluders, specialized instruments, and computer programs is an integral part of vision therapy....depending on the severity of the diagnosed conditions, the length of the program typically ranges from several weeks to several months.

Research has demonstrated vision therapy can be an effective treatment option for:
Ocular motility dysfunctions (eye movement disorders)
Non-strabismic binocular disorders (inefficient eye teaming)
Strabismus (misalignment of the eyes)
Amblyopia (poorly developed vision)
Accommodative disorders (focusing problems)
Visual information processing disorders, including visual-motor integration and integration with other sensory modalities

SUMMARY

Vision therapy is prescribed to treat diagnosed conditions of the visual system. Effective therapy requires visual skills to be developed until they are integrated with other systems and become automatic, enabling individuals to achieve their full potential. The goals of a prescribed vision therapy treatment regimen are to achieve desired visual outcomes, alleviate the signs and symptoms, meet the patient's needs, and improve the patient's quality of life.

This Policy Statement was formulated by a working group representing the American Academy of Optometry, American Optometric Association, the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, and the Optometric Extension Program Foundation.

Approved by:
American Academy of Optometry, April 27, 1999 American Optometric Association, June 22, 1999 College of Optometrists in Vision Development, June 25, 1999 Optometric Extension Program Foundation, June 25, 1999

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