What is Vision Therapy?

How do you know if you need vision therapy? Well, first, it’s important to understand what vision therapy is. Vision therapy is a type of physical therapy for the eyes and brain. It trains your eyes and brain to work together more effectively.

In this article, we are going to talk about what vision therapy is, how it can help people, and what some of the different types of vision therapy are.

What is vision therapy?

Vision therapy is a form of treatment that helps improve vision problems. It can be used to treat a range of issues, including eye-tracking problems, eye muscle weakness, and reading difficulties. Vision therapy may also help to improve overall visual function.

There are two main types of vision problems: refractive error and binocular vision dysfunction. Refractive error is when your eyes don’t focus light correctly on your retina, which is the back of your eye. This can be caused by nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Binocular vision dysfunction is when your eyes don’t work together correctly. This can cause problems with depth perception and eye coordination.

Vision therapy can help improve both of these types of vision problems. It usually involves a combination of eye exercises, visual aids, and counseling.

How can vision therapy help?

Vision therapy can help improve a range of vision problems. It can help with:

• Eye tracking problems
• Eye muscle weakness
• Reading difficulties
• Overall visual function

What are the different types of vision therapy?

There are different types of vision therapy, but most of them involve doing exercises for your eyes. These exercises can help to improve the way your eyes work together and how well they focus. Sometimes people also use special glasses or contact lenses during vision therapy. The different types of vision therapy include:

• Orthoptics: This type of therapy uses exercises to improve eye tracking and coordination. It can also help to realign the eyes if they are crossed or turned out.
• Prisms: These are special lenses that are worn during therapy. They help the eyes to work together by bending light.
• Filters: These are special glasses that are worn during therapy. They help to reduce eye strain and fatigue.
• Eye exercises: These are done to help improve eye tracking, coordination, and focusing.
• Post Concussion Vision Syndrome: Vision therapy can also help people who have concussion-related vision problems, such as light sensitivity, blurred vision, and double vision. This type of vision therapy for concussions can help to improve overall visual function and reduce symptoms.

Who needs vision therapy?

There are many different types of vision problems that can be helped with vision therapy. Some common ones are amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (eye turn), and convergence insufficiency (difficulty reading). However, vision therapy can also be helpful for people who have rare vision problems. These include:

• Aphakia: This is when the natural lens of the eye is removed.
• Aniridia: This is when there is a lack of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye.
• Coloboma: This is when there is a missing or abnormal piece in the structure of the eye.
• Nystagmus: This is when the eyes make quick, jerky movements.
• Ptosis: This is when one or both eyelids droop.

How do I get started with vision therapy?

Vision therapy usually takes place over a period of several weeks or months. You might come in for weekly sessions or do exercises at home. The exact plan will be tailored to your individual needs. If you think that you or your child might benefit from vision therapy, the first step is to see an eye doctor. They will be able to do a comprehensive eye exam and determine if vision therapy is right for you.

If you’re looking for a vision therapist, the American Optometric Association (AOA) can help you find one in your area. The Neuro Vision Therapy Institute comes highly recommended for those in the Denver area.

Final Thoughts

Vision therapy can be a helpful treatment for a range of vision problems. It usually involves doing exercises to improve eye function and coordination. If you think that you might benefit from vision therapy, the first step is to see an eye doctor. They will be able to determine if vision therapy is right for you.