Glasses and contacts are practical prescriptive eyewear that can be effective in treating various eye conditions. Surgeries or injections may also be sought out for other eye conditions. However, there are some other conditions that eyewear and surgery cannot address. These types of situations require another approach – vision therapy.
Some of these complex conditions affect the ability of a patient to learn, write, or read. The most prevalent treatment method for these conditions is vision therapy. Eye doctors use the technique to boost a patient’s visual acuity and fix these problems.
How Does Vision Work?
Visual ability in humans and other animals is a complex system that works together to help people navigate the world. The ability to tell objects and places apart is visual acuity. It is the feature of vision that stands out the most. However, the visual system has other abilities like:
- Eye movement abilities and fixation
- Focusing or accommodation
- Visual form perception
- Eye aiming or convergence
- Hand-eye coordination
- Binocularity or eye coordination
- Eye teaming
Since vision is not fully developed at birth, it grows under the environment’s influence as well as influence from genetic factors.
What Is Vision Therapy?
Some people can have may score well on paper during an eye exam but still have vision problems. Some of the eye problems that do not appear on eye tests affect other visual abilities.
Vision therapy is a novel technique that eye doctors use to correct these issues. Most of these may stem entirely or partly from incorrectly functioning eye muscles. Vision therapy uses specific tools and devices customized to the particular patient.
What Conditions Can Vision Therapy Treat?
Although eye doctors use vision therapy for all clients who may benefit from it, it is more effective in children and young adults. Here are some of the significant conditions that eye doctors treat using vision therapy:
Amblyopia
Amblyopia is predominantly a condition that affects children. It occurs if there are poor connections between the eyes and the brain. It affects the flow of information between the eyes and the brain.
Because it affects connections that develop when people are younger, the condition often affects children more than grown-ups. It is only detectable through a comprehensive eye exam.
Strabismus
It is the condition often referred to as crossed eyes and affects the eyes’ alignment. A patient with strabismus cannot align their eyes simultaneously. One or both of their eyes face different directions, either inwards, upwards, or outwards.
There is a form of strabismus called intermittent, where the eyes only misalign on specific occasions. The eyes are constantly misaligned in the most common form of the condition.
Binocular Vision Dysfunction
You need a reconciled image for your brain to make sense of what your eyes are seeing. The eyes work together to produce a coherent image that your brain interprets. Binocular vision dysfunction is a condition where your eyes register different images. When the image goes to your brain, it registers as double vision. As a result, you will suffer from visual discomfort and other symptoms.
For more information on the conditions vision therapy treats, contact Chagrin Valley Optometrists at our office in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Call (440) 708-0020 to book an appointment today.