Optometric Vision Therapy, sometimes called visual training or abbreviated VT, is that part of optometric care devoted to developing, improving, and enhancing people’s visual performance. Dr. Zost has been providing developmental vision and neuro-optometry services to patients in the greater Chicago land area for over 35 years. Vision therapy is a series of doctor-designed eye exercises, which treat vision challenges that glasses or contacts lenses cannot. Vision therapy improves how accurately and efficiently the visual system takes in information, and then how the brain processes that information. Patients of all ages can benefit from vision therapy treatment.

Through vision therapy, people are able to develop more efficient visual performance. Vision is more than just clarity. It is the ability to visualize, understand, and apply the information that comes through the eyes. Visual information from each eye is sent to areas all over the brain that identifies objects, color, names, movement, and where the object is in space. Vision should operate clearly, comfortably, accurately, and effortlessly. When we look at things up close, our eyes must work together to keep print single, focus to make print clear, and track efficiently to find the next word when reading. Individuals, especially children, may not have effectively developed these abilities. Therefore learning problems can often be related to vision problems. Other individuals may have developed solid visual abilities, but these skills have been disrupted due to disease, trauma, or natural aging. As developmental and behavioral optometrists, we specialize in evaluating and treating all the visual skills necessary for the reading and learning process.

Vision therapy is an effective treatment option for:

• Convergence insufficiency and binocular vision dysfunction
• Reading and Learning problems
  • Eye focusing problems
  • Eye tracking problems
  • Vision processing problems
  • Slow reading speed
  • Poor reading comprehension
  • Sensory integration problems
  • Poor hand-eye coordination
• Post-concussion syndrome 
• Strabismus and Amblyopia
• Motion sensitivity/Visual-vestibular dysfunction
• Digital eyestrain
• Double vision
• Depth Perception problems

Vision therapy can also be used to:

• Prevent vision and eye problems, such as myopia, from developing
• Develop the visual skills needed to be more effective achievers in the classroom, workplace, or athletic arena
• Enhance function on tasks demanding sustained visual effort
• Improve attention
• Develop vision processing skills and improve sensory integration in special needs children

What is assessed at a vision therapy evaluation (sometimes called a functional vision evaluation)?

A vision therapy evaluation tests skills that are not typically tested during a vision screening or a comprehensive eye exam.  A vision therapy evaluation tests eye teaming, eye focusing, eye tracking, and visual processing.  Visual processing includes evaluating central and peripheral vision, visual spatial skills, processing speed, and visual memory. 

What symptoms indicate my child may benefit from vision therapy?

• Skips lines, rereads lines
• Trouble concentrating while reading
• Trouble with reading comprehension
• Dislike of reading in general
• Short Attention Span with reading and schoolwork
• Fatigue while reading
• Homework takes much longer than it should
• Reverses letter like “b” into “d”
• Double vision
• Acting out at school or at home​
• Any developmental delay has the potential to affect the development of the visual system. 

What symptoms indicate an adult may benefit from vision therapy? 

Eyestrain with computer use, headaches, fatigue and difficulty concentrating are signs your visual skills may not be optimal. An 8-9 hour day is a marathon of near work for the visual system,  and if your eyes have problems focusing and working together, it can impact work performance.  Treating these problems with vision therapy can help you be more efficient at work and be more comfortable with prolonged computer use.

What can I expect from treatment?

If a functional vision problem is interfering with a child’s ability to learn, treatment often results in improved confidence, better reading speed, improved attention, and less frustration with school work.  Sports performance often also improves as tracking the ball and catching the ball both become easier.