Most people know how conditions like nearsightedness and farsightedness can compromise your vision, but other types of vision problems can make it difficult to carry out important daily tasks. Vision therapy, also known as vision training or VT, is like physical therapy for the visual system, helping your eyes and brain work together more efficiently.

Read on as a Washington, DC vision therapy optometrist talks about vision therapy, how it works, and the types of conditions it can treat.

What Is Vision Therapy?

Vision therapy is a type of vision training that can be used to improve your eyesight. It differs from other types of eye care because it focuses on developing and improving specific visual skills, rather than just treating any existing problems.

This kind of therapy can help people who have trouble focusing their eyes properly on reading material (such as letters), struggle with spatial relationships like judging distance from objects in front of them or have difficulty seeing things clearly because of nearsightedness.

How Does Vision Therapy Work?

Vision therapy is a form of treatment that helps improve vision problems. The goal of vision therapy is to correct and improve a person’s eye movement, eye alignment and vision skills.

Vision therapy sessions may include:

Eye exercises (e.g., tracking)
Mirror exercises that help patients learn how to use both eyes together as they look at something or read letters on an eye chart (sometimes called “suppression training”)
Computer-based activities designed to improve visual skills

What Conditions Does Vision Therapy Treat?

Vision therapy can be used to treat a wide range of conditions including:

Lazy eye
Convergence insufficiency
Dyslexia
Strabismus (crossed eyes).

It’s also sometimes used in conjunction with contact lenses or glasses to help you adjust to wearing them.

Signs You or Your Child May Benefit From Vision Therapy

If you or your child have any of the following symptoms, it’s worth scheduling an appointment with an eye care professional to determine whether vision therapy could be beneficial:

Eye strain or headaches when reading or doing other tasks that require close attention
Poor performance in school (or difficulty completing homework)
Reading problems such as dyslexia, phonological awareness deficits, and problems writing letters and numbers
Behavioral issues including ADD/ADHD
Double vision
Trouble focusing on objects in the distance
Eye tracking problems
Visual perceptual problems (poor eye-hand coordination)
Vertical gaze palsy
Learning disabilities

If you have more questions or wish to schedule a consultation for you or your child, please feel free to call us, your local Washington, DC vision therapy optometrist office, today!