Vision therapy is a program of procedures designed to produce efficient visual skills and processing. Our program is customized to fit the individual needs of the patient. Visual therapy patients generally have a one hour in-office session weekly. Following their weekly session, homework is given to the patient that is to be completed on a daily basis. Vision therapy helps resolve problems such as: dyslexia, visual-motor integration issues, amblyopia, strabismus, effects of traumatic brain injuries, ocular motility dysfunctions, accommodative disorders, visual information processing disorders, vergence dysfunctions and learning related visual problems(which may present themselves as ADD or ADHD).

The following signs and symptoms can indicate a need for a comprehensive eye exam to determine whether vision therapy might help:

PHYSICAL CLUES:

• headaches

• eye strain (burning or itching eyes)

• dizziness or motion sickness

• turns or tilts head to use one eye only

• double vision

• turning of one or both eyes in, out, up, or down

• squinting, eye rubbing, or excessive blinking

• jerky eye movements

• odd working posture at desk activities

PERFORMANCE CLUES: SCHOOL/WORK/SPORTS

• poor depth perception

• avoidance of close work

• confuses similar looking words

• failure to recognize the same word in the next sentence

• poor reading comprehension

• letter and word reversals • loss of place, repetition and/or omission of words while reading

• holds reading material closer than normal

• using finger to keep place while reading

• difficulty copying from the blackboard

• poor handwriting, writes up- or downhill on paper

• below average school/work/sports performance

• repeatedly confuses left-right directions

• uses “drawing with fingers” to discriminate similarities and differences

• whispers to self for reinforcement while reading silently

• quickly loses interest in reading

• smart in everything but school

• must touch things to understand

• fails to visualize and memorize

• trouble finishing written, timed assignments

• displaying developmental immaturity

SECONDARY SYMPTOMS:

• low self-esteem, poor self image

• short attention span

• temper flare-ups

• fatigue, frustration, stress

• day dreaming

• irritability

• frequent crying

LABELED:

• dyslexic

• ADD/ADHD

• slow learner

• juvenile delinquent

• behavioral problem

Vision problems can interfere with learning activities in school, work and sports. For further information about the link between vision and learning please feel free to access our Eye Care Articles page by clicking on the link in our website. More information about vision therapy is available at www.pavevision.org , www.covd.org , and www.aoa.org .