What is Vision Therapy? Improving the Brain-Eye Connection
Optometric vision therapy (OVT) isn’t about strengthening eye muscles—those muscles are already incredibly strong in all of us. Instead, vision therapy is prescribed by developmental optometrists to enhance communication between the brain and the eyes. This connection plays a vital role in determining the efficiency and accuracy of visual performance skills, which impact how we process and respond to what we see.
While visual acuity (the clarity of vision measured by "20/20") depends on the size and shape of the eyeballs and can be improved with glasses, contacts, or surgery, visual performance skills like focusing, tracking, and coordinating the eyes require proper development. These skills, learned during childhood, can also be improved later in life or relearned after a brain injury.
In this article, the vision care professionals at EyeCare Associates dive into the essentials of vision therapy, the conditions it can address, and how it may benefit you or your family.
What Conditions Can Vision Therapy Treat?
Vision therapy is a highly effective method for improving visual performance by harnessing the brain’s ability to adapt through neuroplasticity1. This approach focuses on retraining the connection between the brain and the eyes, enabling individuals to perform better in everyday activities like reading, writing, driving, and even sports. By targeting specific visual challenges, vision therapy can enhance skills essential for maintaining balance, processing visual information, and reducing strain during routine tasks.
Poor vision performance can manifest in various ways, including difficulty focusing, frequent headaches, and eye strain. Some individuals may experience blurry or double vision, sensitivity to light, or challenges with eye-hand coordination. These symptoms often go unnoticed or unaddressed, yet they can significantly affect quality of life. For children in particular, undiagnosed vision issues can hinder academic performance and lead to frustration or behavioral concerns in the classroom. It is estimated that one in ten children struggle with vision problems severe enough to interfere with learning, making early detection and intervention critical. A comprehensive eye exam with a developmental optometrist can uncover hidden vision challenges and provide a pathway to effective treatment.
Who Can Vision Therapy Benefit?
Vision therapy offers benefits for individuals of all ages. Contrary to popular belief, its effectiveness is not limited to children. Recent advances in neuroscience have confirmed that neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize and form new connections—is present throughout life. As a result, vision therapy can be tailored to the unique needs of both children and adults.
For children, vision therapy often addresses developmental or functional visual issues that may impact their ability to learn, play, or focus on daily activities. Conditions such as amblyopia, or lazy eye, and strabismus, where the eyes are misaligned, are common challenges that can be effectively treated through targeted exercises. Another frequently addressed issue is convergence insufficiency, which makes it difficult for the eyes to focus on nearby objects. Early intervention during childhood is particularly valuable, as it supports proper visual development during critical growth periods. Vision therapy can also help children who struggle with reading, writing, or concentrating in school, offering them a chance to overcome visual obstacles and achieve academic success.
Adults, too, can benefit greatly from vision therapy. Neuroplasticity enables the brain to adapt and improve visual function at any stage of life. Many adults turn to vision therapy to recover visual skills lost due to brain injuries, such as those resulting from concussions or strokes. Others seek therapy to address long-standing issues like strabismus or double vision that may not have been treated during childhood. Additionally, vision therapy can alleviate eye strain and fatigue caused by prolonged screen use, a common concern in today’s digital age. Adults experiencing age-related vision changes, such as difficulty focusing or tracking, may also find vision therapy to be an effective tool for maintaining their independence and quality of life.
What is Involved in Vision Therapy?
A vision therapy program typically consists of a sequence of exercises performed over weeks or months. Each program is tailored to the individual’s needs and often involves a combination of in-office sessions and at-home exercises. Vision therapy often incorporates a variety of tools and techniques to strengthen visual function and coordination. Some of the key components include:
Specialized Lenses and Filters: These tools improve focusing ability, adjust perception, and reduce visual stress. For example, lenses may enhance clarity or retrain the eyes to work together more effectively.
Prisms: Prisms can shift the perception of space, helping the brain and eyes adjust to new visual input. They are particularly effective in treating conditions like strabismus or convergence insufficiency, where eye alignment or focus needs correction.
Eye Exercises: Guided activities and exercises target specific visual skills, such as eye tracking, focusing, and teaming. These exercises are designed to improve how the eyes work together and how the brain processes visual information.
Sensory Integration Techniques: These techniques integrate visual skills with other sensory and motor functions, improving coordination between vision, balance, and movement. This is especially beneficial for athletes or those recovering from brain injuries.
Balance Boards and Coordination Tools: Physical tools like balance boards are used to enhance the connection between vision and physical movement. These activities reinforce spatial awareness and improve overall visual-motor integration.
Computer-Based Activities: Many vision therapy programs incorporate digital exercises or games that provide interactive feedback to train the visual system in real time. These are particularly engaging for children but also effective for adults with complex visual challenges.
What is Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation?
With more than half of the brain’s circuits dedicated to vision, visual performance is particularly vulnerable to brain injuries2. Neuro-optometric rehabilitation is a rapidly growing field within optometry that incorporates vision therapy into the broader rehabilitation process for individuals recovering from brain injuries. This specialized approach is designed to address the visual challenges that often accompany neurological conditions, such as concussions, strokes, and traumatic brain injuries.
A neuro-optometrist is an eye care professional with expertise in diagnosing and treating neurological conditions that negatively impact the visual system. These specialists play a vital role in the care of patients dealing with vision issues related to brain trauma, including those recovering from surgery or neurological disorders. Neuro-optometrists work closely with an interdisciplinary team of healthcare providers, including neurologists, nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists, to create a comprehensive treatment plan for each patient.
Athletes recovering from concussions are increasingly referred to neuro-optometrists as part of their rehabilitation process. In these cases, neuro-optometric evaluations not only address vision dysfunctions but also provide measurable benchmarks for recovery. For instance, assessing convergence—the eyes’ ability to focus on a single point—offers an objective way to monitor progress and determine when it is safe for the athlete to return to play. Similarly, neurologists are recognizing the value of neuro-optometry in post-stroke care, where visual rehabilitation plays an integral role in restoring a patient’s independence and quality of life.
Is There Scientific Evidence Supporting Vision Therapy?
Optometric vision therapy is supported by extensive and ongoing scientific research3, yet it remains one of the lesser-known treatments in the eye care field. Studies have shown that convergence insufficiency—a condition where the eyes struggle to work together when focusing on nearby objects—affects at least 5% of school-aged children, which translates to approximately 3.8 million kids4. Additionally, about 2% of adults, or around 5 million people, are estimated to have this condition. When you consider the over 2.1 million adults who sustain brain injuries each year and subsequently experience vision dysfunctions, the number of individuals who could benefit from vision therapy surpasses those affected by more commonly recognized eye conditions like glaucoma (affecting 2.7 million) and dry eye syndrome (impacting 4.9 million). This substantial prevalence highlights the importance of vision therapy as a treatment option supported by robust scientific evidence.
What is Sports Vision Training?
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, vision therapy techniques can be applied to sports vision training. Unlike traditional vision therapy, which focuses on treating specific conditions, sports vision training aims to elevate visual performance skills beyond the standard "normal" range. Think of it as personal training for the visual system, designed to enhance abilities such as reaction time, hand-eye coordination, depth perception, and tracking. This specialized area of optometry is gaining popularity as athletes seek an edge in their performance. To learn more about this exciting field, visit the International Sports Vision Association.
Rehabilitate and Enhance Your Vision with EyeCare Associates
Vision therapy is a non-invasive and highly effective way to address a wide range of visual challenges, from improving eye coordination to aiding recovery after an injury. Whether you’re looking for support for your child’s learning-related vision difficulties or exploring treatment options for yourself, vision therapy offers a personalized solution tailored to your needs. By enhancing the connection between the brain and the eyes, vision therapy can lead to lasting improvements in your quality of life.
At EyeCare Associates, we’re dedicated to helping you achieve optimal vision health. Our experienced optometrists are here to assess your unique needs, discuss the benefits of vision therapy, and guide you through a customized treatment plan.
Take the first step toward clearer, more effective vision. Contact EyeCare Associates today to schedule a consultation and find out if vision therapy is the right choice for you or your loved ones. Together, we’ll work to help you reach your full visual potential!
References
Felleman DJ1, Van Essen DC. Cereb Cortex. 1991 Jan-Feb;1(1):1-47.
Scheiman M, Mitchell GL, et al. Vis Dev Rehabil. 2015;1(3):214-228.