Vision Therapy
One-on-one attention to improve your visual abilities.
What Is Vision Therapy (VT)?
We love providing vision therapy! Vision therapy is a service that helps people improve their visual abilities. It works to improve these basic abilities much like occupational therapy, speech therapy or physical therapy works to improve other physical functions. There are many important skills needed in order for our visual system to work efficiently. Sometimes these skills don’t develop the way they should, leaving a person with low or impaired vision. But with therapeutic exercises and techniques, we are often able to help the brain and eye develop more of what they need to see properly.
Some of the visual skills that can be developed and improved through vision therapy include:
1. Tracking: Tracking is vitally important for reading and comprehension. You must be able to move your eyes accurately to get full meaning when reading across a line of print.
2. Fixation: The ability to find a look at a series of stationary objects ( words on a page).
3. Visual Discrimination: The ability to detect small differences, like “Henry” not “Harry” or “through” not “though”.
4. Binocularity: Eyes that work together as one, like they are designed to!
5. Peripheral Vision: This is the ability to notice things which aren’t in your direct line of sight. It’s important for knowing where to look next when reading.
6. Visual Memory: This is “picturing” in your mind what you’ve seen before. Most great readers, writers, and spellers have above average visual memory skills.
Who Can Vision Therapy Help?
We’ve seen people who participate in vision therapy benefit in numerous way. Of course, these benefits are different for everyone and depend on each person’s experience, but we’ve seen a pattern of general outcomes:
- Many younger patients have noticed they get better grades in school and homework is no longer such a chore to complete.
- Adults report they work more efficiently in the office or on their job site.
- Patients of all ages report that reading is easier, they’ve improved in sports, and they no longer get stress-related headaches.
What Does It Take To Do Vision Therapy?
Vision therapy means once a week visit to our office for a period of time, where you or your child will work with a trained vision therapist. You will be guided through a series of activities designed to correct visual processing problems and/or build visual skills. The games are fun but challenging and you will also be assigned activities to do at home.
We’re passionate about vision therapy because we have seen the difference it has made in so many lives! If you or your child is struggling with any of the above-listed issues, schedule your appointment today to see if vision therapy could potentially help improve your quality of life. While we don’t do vision therapy at our Meadville location, we are able to evaluate you or your child to see if it would be of benefit. If so, we’ll set up a plan and schedule you in our Titusville location, where you’ll get the one-on-one attention you need to begin improving your visual skills.