Vision therapy, which is also known as vision training or visual training, is an individualized treatment program that is like physical therapy for the eyes and brain. Through customized eye exercises, patients can develop or recover normal visual skills that may have been impaired due to a wide range of vision disorders.
While individuals of all ages can benefit from vision therapy, it can be especially helpful for young children with learning disabilities or those suffering from lazy eye, crossed eyes or focusing issues. Vision deficits can cause eyestrain, blurred or double vision, and headaches that make it difficult to stay focused while reading, maintaining attention in the classroom or focusing on close work. Vision therapy can help correct these visual deficits. With vision therapy, children are better positioned to achieve their full potential, both in and out of the classroom.
Could your child benefit from vision therapy? These common signs can indicate that there is an underlying vision problem.
- Your child has poor hand-eye coordination, which may be evident in poor handwriting, motor coordination, athletic performance, etc.
- Your child has problems walking or running, and frequently drops objects or bumps into things
- Your child holds a book or object unusually close
- Your child closes one eye or covers the eye with his/her hand
- Your child omits or confuses small words when reading
- Your child reverses words when reading (e.g., “no” for “on”) or transposes numbers (e.g., “21” for “12”)
- Your child complains frequently of headaches, eyestrain, nausea, dizziness and/or motion sickness
- Your child frequently avoids or objects to doing homework
- Your child exhibits behavior problems in school
Regular eye exams can detect vision problems that standard screenings do not
Even though your child may receive vision screenings at school, these tests do not diagnose the many vision conditions that a comprehensive eye exam does. It is important to be diligent when it comes to your child’s vision – especially if you notice any of the above signs of a problem. Vision therapy can be an excellent form of treatment, and a successful outcome is even greater when issues are diagnosed early on. At Family Vision Development Center, vision therapy is our specialty. Dr. Martin is specially trained to treat a variety of vision related conditions using complete vision therapy services designed to restore and improve visual efficiency. Contact us today at 630-862-2020 or visit us online to schedule your appointment.