What is Vision Therapy (VT)?
One can think of vision therapy as physical therapy for the eyes and brain. The neurological aspect is very important because the eyes are direct physical extensions of the brain. When you think about it, vision occurs in the brain, not the eyes (which are more like tools for the brain). If the brain has not learned to use the eyes properly, then it’s similar to giving an automobile mechanic’s tool kit to someone who is not a mechanic – even with the right tools, a tune-up or brake job is simply impossible.
Vision therapy is a highly effective non-surgical treatment for many common visual problems such as:
- Refractive errors (such as pseudomyopia)
- Eye misalignment
- Focusing (accommodative) and binocular issues
- Eye movement/tracking disorders
- Eye misalignment
- Double vision
- Interposing of letters
- Other reading and learning disabilities
In many cases VT is compensatory in nature, not curative, i.e., it doesn’t eliminate the condition, but rather helps one to live and function more comfortably with it. Many patients who have been told "it's too late" or "you'll have to learn to live with it" have benefited remarkably from vision therapy. In the case of learning disabilities, vision therapy is specifically directed toward resolving vision problems that interfere with reading and learning; it is not, per se, a cure for learning disabilities.
In a nutshell, VT is a progressive, structured series of exercises designed to improve one’s visual capabilities and skills. Specifically, it is:
- Performed under a doctor’s supervision
- Individualized to fit the visual needs of each patient
- Prescribed to --
--Improve visual comfort, ease, and efficiency
--Change how a patient processes or interprets visual information - Conducted either in-office or at home (with periodic office visits for evaluation)
The latter option is the one we normally employ at OPTOM~EYES, with an expected commitment of:
30 minutes a day, 5 days a week
(weekends should typically be VT work days)6 in-office sessions (bi-weekly) over a 3-month period (45 minutes each)
Things to keep in mind:
Symptoms generally become worse initially
Symptoms generally decrease (and in many cases are eliminated) in 7 to 10 days
Patient motivation is the key to success – guard carefully against loss of motivation
If you have any questions, please be sure to ask
The sixth session is a progress evaluation to determine whether additional sessions
are warranted, and an opportunity to redefine priorities, establish a maintenance
program, and/or determine an optimum lens prescription
Haven’t I Heard of VT on Television and Radio?
VT should not be confused with any self-directed, self-help program of eye exercises which has been marketed to the public. It is properly supervised by optometric vision care professionals, and many types of specialized and/or medical devices are used, such as:
Can VT Be Useful for Behavioral Problems?
VT can offer great help for children with learning difficulties or behavior problems, such as ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, or oculomotor (reading/tracking) dysfunction. It’s a fact that many behavioral diagnoses can be traced to a vision problem that is screaming for attention. Vision and sensorimotor deficits can cause eyestrain, headaches, blurred or double vision, loss of place while reading, and difficulty maintaining attention when doing close work. Even intelligent, highly motivated individuals can be severely handicapped by these vision problems in the academic environment. Correcting these deficits allows them to use their eyes as intended and to achieve their full potential in the classroom.
Is VT Only for Children?
Contrary to popular thought, VT is not only for children. Many adults find that vision therapy can improve vision impairment; even in cases in which visual problems have been previously pronounced incurable or hopeless by other vision care professionals.
Most vision conditions which can be treated in a child can be treated in an adult as well. Current research has conclusively demonstrated that effective treatment can take place at any age, but the length of the treatment period increases dramatically the longer the condition has existed prior to treatment.
Where Do I Begin?
The first step in any vision therapy program is a comprehensive vision examination. Following a thorough evaluation which includes appropriate near-point testing, the optometrist can advise the patient as to whether vision therapy should be considered an appropriate form of treatment.
Testimonies from Happy Patients
1. As a patient of Dr. Rabins, our son Jeremy has grown in so many ways it is very difficult to put into words the appreciation we have for him. Jeremy began working with Dr. Rabins in 2006, using his Vision Therapy program and today as a 13-year-old boy at the end of seventh grade, he is reading at the 12th grade level. Jeremy will no longer be on an Individual Literacy Program and more importantly, he loves to read. Dr. Rabins worked with other health care professionals and gave us a very clear diagnosis and treatment plan. He was friendly and fun, even when Jeremy was feeling discouraged. He continues to see us once a year and encourage us with his enthusiasm and professionalism. As we are a family of educators, Dr. Rabins has had to answer a lot of questions about how his program works with school activities and sports. As a public school teacher and mom, I have had opportunities to refer parents to his practice and have never gotten negative feedback. This family practice is warm and receiving and will always allow you to participate in the overall vision health of your family. There are very few times in the day when Jeremy doesn’t have a book in his hand or close by. We are often discussing the current book and it is very obvious that comprehension and confidence are present. We 
recommend Dr. Rabins and his staff with great confidence.
2. We chose Dr. Rabins for our daughter's vision therapy after consulting with three other optometrists. Our daughter was not doing poorly in school, but we were hopeful that vision therapy might help her reading. As opposed to other therapists' office-based treatment, we liked Dr. Rabins home-based approach, which not only made the therapy financially feasible but also made parental involvement "built-in." We also liked it that Dr. Rabins himself does the therapy rather than an optometry assistant. After only six sessions, our daughter's tracking and fusional ranges significantly improved, and most noticeable was the improvement in her reading speed and comprehension, also noted by her classroom teacher. We are very pleased with the significant progress she made in such a short time. We feel it was a combination of our commitment to the homework as well as Dr. Rabins designing the therapy so as to focus on the areas where she might improve most. Her improvement, as Dr. Rabins said, was "accommodative rather than curative," but remarkable nonetheless."--Eric & Anne Wilbur