Brunswick Eye and Contact Lens Center is happy to introduce the newest member of their eye care team, Dr. Cassandra Higbea.
Vision Therapy is a type of Physical Therapy. Like other forms of physical therapy, with vision therapy, optimum results require much more than visual acuity or binocular eye muscle control. Vision therapy integrates visual acuity and binocular function plus detailed brain function activities that collectively control thousands of components of our entire bodies coordinated actions. Your visual system is your steering system. Vision Therapy makes it better.
We provide complete diagnostic and therapeutic care for children and adults with these type of vision problems.
- Eye tracking
- Eye teaming (Strabismus or Amblyopia)
- Eye focusing (Visual Acuity)
- Learning-related vision problems
- Visual Information Processing
- Computer related vision problems
- Sports vision
- Acquired brain injury related vision problems
What is Vision Therapy?
Vision therapy is a sequence of therapy procedures that are individually prescribed and monitored by the doctor to develop efficient visual skills and visual processing. Vision therapy is prescribed following a comprehensive evaluation of the visual system.
The vision therapy program is based on the results of standardized tests, the patient’s specific signs and symptoms plus a careful look at the needs of the patient.
The use of lenses, prisms, filters, occluders, specialized instruments and computer programs is an integral part of vision therapy. Typically, vision therapy is administered as a combination of in-office visits combined with prescribed, daily, home-vision therapy procedures.
The in-office therapy is designed to make the patient aware of his or her visual deficiencies under controlled conditions. Then by a feedback process the patient is taught strategies to improve visual performance.
Home therapy is directed at practicing the newly learned visual skills until the initial conscious effort becomes automatic.
Vision Therapy Facts
Here at Brunswick Eye and Contact Lens Center, our vision therapy program is divided into two sections: first, orthoptics, which is limited to techniques of training eye muscles for the purpose of straightening eyes that are misaligned and second, visual perceptual processing, which is the set of skills we use to gather visual information from the environment and integrate them with our other senses That is why out of the two areas orthoptics is the most likely to be covered by insurances. Orthoptics can be very successful and is one type of vision training, but the term orthoptics is not the same as vision therapy. Vision therapy describes a wider range of techniques used to treat a larger variety of vision problems. Also, whereas the emphasis in orthoptics is on eye muscles and eye alignment, the goal of vision therapy is to optimize the entire visual system, including the eyes and areas of the brain that control vision, visual perception and other vision-related functions. By treating the entire visual system vision therapy aims to change reflexive behaviors to produce a lasting cure.
Please keep in mind that as therapy progresses the amount and type of therapy required may change. The doctor will keep you informed of this at the progress evaluations. If you have any questions and concerns please feel free to contact us.
While vision therapy is not inexpensive it should be seen as an investment in your child’s future. We do realize however that the cost of vision therapy may be a financial burden for some families, we do offer care credit at our facility and a variety of payment plans. Please do not hesitate to discuss this with us.
What Is Vision Therapy brochure
Visit The American Optometric Association Website for the Optometry position paper on vision therapy.
Call 419-782-EYES (3937) for information on scheduling and fees.