Monthly Archives: May

Functional Vision: 4 Basic Visual Skills Kids NEED for Life Success

Kids rely on their visual skills all year round in everything they do.  But it’s not simply 20/20 vision that is needed.  Functional vision refers to the entire visual system, including the eyes, brain and visual pathways between them, working together to help them interact with the world around them.  Whether it is the beginning of the school year or the middle of summer break, proper functional vision can help ensure your child does well while reading, writing, playing sports or basically any daily activity.  A problem with any of the following 4 components of functional vision should be treated as quickly as possible.

Functional Vision Skills

Tracking – the ability to move your eyes accurately and smoothly from place to place or across a page.  A problem with eye tracking can affect reading fluency and comprehension, handwriting, hand-eye coordination and sports performance.

Focusing – the ability to easily switch focus between near and far objects.  Difficulty with focus can cause eye strain, blurred vision, headache and fatigue, as well as frustration in the classroom when switching between desk work and a white board.

Visual Processing Skills – the way the brain interprets and makes sense of what the eyes see in the world around us.  This can mean recognizing the difference between two similar letters, or even understanding that a ball coming at your face should be caught. Visual processing skills have a big impact on a child’s ability to learn, as well as their self-esteem.

Eye Teaming – both eyes working together as a team, in a coordinated and precise manner, to make a single image.  Symptoms of eye teaming problems include poor depth perception, double vision, headaches and reading problems.

Vision Therapy for Functional Vision Problems

The best way to determine the efficiency of your child’s visual skills is through a functional vision assessment.  This comprehensive exam can allow us to evaluate and diagnose any functional vision problems, and in turn, we can develop a custom vision therapy program to target the specific issues your child is dealing with.  Vision therapy is an extremely effective form of treatment for all areas of functional vision disorders.  And the doctors at Family Vision Development Center have advanced training in the latest vision therapy techniques, in order to provide the best possible outcomes for your child.

Contact our office at 630-862-2020 or visit us online to learn more about our vision therapy programs or to schedule your appointment.

Discover if Progressive Lenses are the Right Choice

If you’re like many people over the age of 40, you may have picked up a few pairs of cheap magnifying eyeglasses at the dollar store or drugstore to make reading small print a bit easier.  And while they may get the job done for a while, the time will likely come to invest in quality lenses made specifically for your eyes.  Progressive lenses are a very popular option, but they are not the best choice for everyone.  Read on to see if progressive lenses are right for you.

Difference between bifocals and progressive lenses

Bifocal lenses have two different prescription strengths in one lens – one for distance vision (in the top portion of the lens) and one for close-up reading (in the lower part of the lens).  There is typically a distinct shift in focus as you look between the two.  On the other hand, progressive lenses are made up of three prescriptions.  They are designed to give you a seamless transition between far objects, mid-range work and close-up focus as your eyes move downward on the lens.

Advantages of progressive lenses

As previously stated, the design of progressive lenses allows you to shift from distance vision, to computer work, to reading a book all with one pair of glasses.  This can be very convenient as opposed to switching between several pairs based on the work you are doing.  Also, the prescriptions in the lenses are made to “blend” together, so you don’t see any focus line while switching between tasks.

Drawbacks of progressive lenses

One big drawback of progressive lenses is the adjustment period getting used to them.  It does take some time to train your eyes to look through the correct lens, based on your activity (computer work, reading, etc).  Additionally, your peripheral vision may become distorted until the eyes and the brain learn to work together to focus properly.  For some, this adjustment period might only last for a few days, while others never adjust properly.  Progressive lenses also tend to cost more than other types of lenses.  The cost versus benefit would be an individual choice based on insurance, personal needs, or other preferences.

Family Vision is your source for all types of custom eyewear

At Family Vision Development Center, we have a large selection of eyeglasses and lens options to choose from.  After a comprehensive vision exam, we’ll help you decide which lenses are right for you, based on your lifestyle and preferences.  And we’ll even help you choose the perfect frames for your face shape!  Contact our Aurora office today at 630-862-2020 to schedule your appointment!

Additional information can be referenced here