Vision therapy is quite a controversial topic. Some optometrists advocate for it, especially in solving certain eye problems, while others are yet to be convinced of its effectiveness and continue to use standard ophthalmological equipment in order to improve their patients’ eyesight. Therefore, it is imperative for you to do your due diligence to learn more about vision therapy for you to make an informed decision with regard to its potential benefits for you and your children. The effectiveness of vision therapy may depend on the severity of the eye condition or on other factors. A Greenville, SC optometrist mention and recommend vision therapy. If you are wondering what it is all about, below are some important things that you should know about this vision care technique.
What is Visions Therapy?
Vision therapy can be understood as a non-surgical, doctor-supervised, and personalized program of visual activities that are designed with the aim of correcting or improving certain visual problems and skills. Unlike contact lenses and eyeglasses, which only compensate for vision problems, or surgical procedures that alter the anatomy of the eye, vision therapy seeks to train the vision system to fix itself. In other words, vision therapy is like physical therapy that targets the vision system. It can involve the use of filters, prisms, lenses, and even computer-assisted visual activities. Other devices such as metronomes, balance boards, and other non-computerized visual instruments can also be used. The ultimate goal of vision therapy is to fix vision problems that cannot be fixed by surgery, contact lens, or glasses alone.
What Vision Therapy is Not
You have probably heard about self-help vision improvement programs that promise to enable you to see clearly without the need for glasses or contact lenses after a series of eye exercises. Such programs do not have any scientific basis and have never been approved by the American Optometric Association and other professional eye care bodies. These programs are not what vision therapy is all about.
Science Behind Vision Therapy
Recent studies in the field of neurology have shown that the human brain has high levels of neuroplasticity. This means that it has the ability to adjust its function and even structure in response to external stimuli. In the past, such neurological changes in the brain were only thought to happen in children, but studies now show that they can occur in adults as well. These findings support the view of the proponents of vision therapy that properly done vision therapy can lead to neurological changes that can improve the performance of the visual system and even correct some vision problems. Some of the problems that can be corrected by vision therapy include amblyopia, strabismus, eye movement disorders, and accommodative disorders, among others.
The Bottom Line
Overall, it is apparent that vision therapy is an important component of overall vision care. It helps to improve or fix vision issues that cannot be fixed by traditional vision corrections techniques such as glasses, contact lenses, or surgery alone. If you are looking for a reliable optometrist offering vision therapy in Greenville, SC, ReVision Optix is an excellent facility to visit. Feel free to contact them today for more information about their practitioners and services.
