What is Vision Therapy?
Vision therapy comprises various exercises and activities that work to treat vision problems that cannot be corrected with traditional methods, such as corrective eyewear or surgery. The program is developed to focus on individual needs, such as reading levels, comprehension, attention spans, and sports performance. It can also be used to help the eyes work better together for those with binocular vision problems. At Northern Vision Care, we work closely with your child to develop a tailored program to help them succeed.
Atropine Penalization
For individuals with eye teaming issues, such as amblyopia, atropine penalization can be an effective treatment. Atropine is a specialized eye drop used to weaken the focusing mechanism of the eye. Applying them to the eye with stronger vision causes the brain to focus on the amblyopic eye rather than the stronger eye, strengthening it.
Patching
Patching is also an effective treatment for amblyopia that forces the brain to “choose” to see out of the amblyopic eye. This treatment involves placing a medical eye patch over the stronger eye for some time each day to strengthen the weaker eye. Research has shown that eye patching can improve vision in children.
The most important part of a successful vision therapy program is the dedication of the patient. An effective program relies on you or your child’s active engagement to ensure you see real results.
