Dr Press, Vision Therapy Fair Lawn, Vision Therapy New Jersey Pressvision|| Dr. Press examines current questions concerning vision therapy. He also discusses the many applications of vision therapy to a wide range of visual and learning difficulties.
03/16/15 3:59 am Ask Dr Press
The following is an interview with Dr. Leonard J. Press, FCOVD, FAAO, author of the textbook Applied Concepts in Vision Therapy, by Rachel Cooper, founder of Optometrists Network. In this FAQ interview, Dr. Press examines current questions and opinions concerning vision therapy and refers the reader to relevant medical literature and web pages. He also discusses the many applications of vision therapy to a wide range of visual and learning difficulties.
Are "orthoptics" and "vision therapy" the same thing? What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist? What should patients or parents keep in mind while researching vision therapy on the Internet? Why would some ophthalmologists claim that vision therapy doesn't work? Does the public assume that ophthalmologists (M.D.s) are the ultimate authorities about everything in eyecare, including vision therapy? Can you give an example of a case where the outcome depended on whether the parent relied on the opinion of an optometrist or an ophthalmologist? Can orthoptics or vision therapy help with learning problems? Is there scientific evidence that vision therapy works? What's the position of educators regarding vision therapy? Can special colored lenses or filters be used instead of vision therapy? Does insurance pay for vision therapy? Is it true that there are certain conditions, like lazy eye, where the patient is too old, or it's too late to intervene with vision therapy? Concluding thoughts on how vision therapy can help. What is Vision Therapy
You can think of vision therapy as physical therapy for the eyes and the brain. The neurological aspect is very important because the eyes are direct physical extensions of the brain. We see with our brains and minds, not just our eyes. There are plenty of web pages which give accurate definitions of vision therapy. Let's move on to some frequently asked questions which aren't covered on lots of other pages. Back to the Questions
In 1993, Paul Romano, MD, the editor of Eye Muscle Surgery Quarterly, conducted a worldwide survey of eye muscle surgeons. He asked surgeons to indicate whether they would favor a surgical or non-surgical approach to the treatment of intermittent exotropia (a form of strabismus). 85% of the international group recommended non surgical approaches, as compared with only 52% of the American surgeons. Dr. Romano postulated three important reasons why this might be so: Insurance companies and single-payer systems outside of the U.S. have stricter medical standards in regards to approving payment of eye muscle surgery. Also, they do not pay as well for eye muscle surgery as insurance companies in the U.S.
The public needs to be aware that ophthalmologists are not the ultimate authorities in all areas of visual health. Ophthalmologists are wonderful surgeons and excellent authorities about eye disease, but as a rule they're under informed about subject areas such as, visual processing, convergence, accommodation and vision therapy. Some ophthalmologists concede this. In the medical journal, Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society, eye muscle surgeon and researcher David Guyton, M.D., states: "We [ophthalmologists] have probably
abdicated the study of accommodation and convergence to the optometric profession.
A perusal of the literature will reveal that most of the advances in this area are being made in the optometric institutions by vision scientists who use definitions and terms with which we are not even familiar."
Vision therapy can improve visual function so the patient/student is better equipped to benefit from educational instruction. In 1991, Firmon Hardenbergh, M.D., the Chief of Ophthalmology at Harvard University Health Services, had this to say regarding a double-blind scientific study of children with reading disability and convergence difficulty: "The application of orthoptics [included in vision therapy] to all learning/reading disabled or deficient children who manifest convergence insufficiency should be the first line of therapy."
Regarding visual processing and learning disabilities, Corinne Smith, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Education at Syracuse University, noted in her 1997 text on Learning Disabilities, that students with visual perception disabilities have trouble making sense out of what they see. "The problem is not with their eyesight, but with the way their brains process visual information."
According to law in many states, if a child is classified as having a specific learning disability, the school is required to either provide the necessary therapy, or to pay for the parents to obtain the necessary help not provided by the school. This puts educators in a tight spot. Funds are limited, so schools understandably try to minimize expenditures. Regarding perceptual impairment or visual processing disorders, educators are sometimes faced with two basic choices: Have someone already on staff provide the therapy necessary or
What problems or concerns are you having with your vision or performance? What options have you tried other than vision therapy, and what has been the result?
You can learn more about eye muscle surgery as a treatment for lazy eye or eye turns, etc. by visiting the web site of Dr. Jeffrey Cooper. Re: vision therapy treatment, you'll always get the best results if you intervene at a young age, IF you can get a child's cooperation. But, children have little motivation to cooperate. It's been proven that a motivated adult with strabismus and/or amblyopia who works diligently at vision therapy can obtain meaningful improvement in visual function. As my patients are fond of saying: "I'm not looking for perfection; I'm looking for you to help me make it better". It's important that eye doctors don't make sweeping value judgments for patients. Rather than saying "nothing can be done", the proper advice would be: "You won't have as much improvement as you would have had at a younger age; but I'll refer you to a vision specialist who can help you if you're motivated."
With the advent of computers in the work environment, we're seeing more adults with eye strain-related vision problems which can be improved through vision therapy. Also, there are special needs patients with developmental or head injury problems which neuro-optometric diagnosis and vision therapy treatment can uniquely help. Still, the majority of my patients continue to be children with learning or reading problems who have been through all kinds of interventions. These children have been told that their eyes are healthy and that glasses aren't necessary, but they continue to struggle with visual processing. Their visual processing problems or developmental vision problems can't be detected unless the eye doctor specifically tests for them. I'd like to sum up with a quote from the web site of one of the world's leading vision companies, Ciba Vision: "Because reading problems usually have multiple causes, treatment must often be multidisciplinary. Educators, psychologists, eye care practitioners and other professionals often must work together to meet each person's needs. The eye practitioner's role is to help overcome any vision problems interfering with the ability to read. Once those are addressed the student is better prepared to respond to special reading education efforts." (www.cibavision.com, 1999)
Dr Press, Vision Therapy Fair Lawn, Vision Therapy New Jersey Pressvision|| Dr. Press examines current questions concerning vision therapy. He also discusses the many applications of vision therapy to a wide range of visual and learning difficulties.
03/16/15 3:59 am Ask Dr Press
The following is an interview with Dr. Leonard J. Press, FCOVD, FAAO, author of the textbook Applied Concepts in Vision Therapy, by Rachel Cooper, founder of Optometrists Network. In this FAQ interview, Dr. Press examines current questions and opinions concerning vision therapy and refers the reader to relevant medical literature and web pages. He also discusses the many applications of vision therapy to a wide range of visual and learning difficulties.
Are "orthoptics" and "vision therapy" the same thing? What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist? What should patients or parents keep in mind while researching vision therapy on the Internet? Why would some ophthalmologists claim that vision therapy doesn't work? Does the public assume that ophthalmologists (M.D.s) are the ultimate authorities about everything in eyecare, including vision therapy? Can you give an example of a case where the outcome depended on whether the parent relied on the opinion of an optometrist or an ophthalmologist? Can orthoptics or vision therapy help with learning problems? Is there scientific evidence that vision therapy works? What's the position of educators regarding vision therapy? Can special colored lenses or filters be used instead of vision therapy? Does insurance pay for vision therapy? Is it true that there are certain conditions, like lazy eye, where the patient is too old, or it's too late to intervene with vision therapy? Concluding thoughts on how vision therapy can help. What is Vision Therapy
You can think of vision therapy as physical therapy for the eyes and the brain. The neurological aspect is very important because the eyes are direct physical extensions of the brain. We see with our brains and minds, not just our eyes. There are plenty of web pages which give accurate definitions of vision therapy. Let's move on to some frequently asked questions which aren't covered on lots of other pages. Back to the Questions
In 1993, Paul Romano, MD, the editor of Eye Muscle Surgery Quarterly, conducted a worldwide survey of eye muscle surgeons. He asked surgeons to indicate whether they would favor a surgical or non-surgical approach to the treatment of intermittent exotropia (a form of strabismus). 85% of the international group recommended non surgical approaches, as compared with only 52% of the American surgeons. Dr. Romano postulated three important reasons why this might be so: Insurance companies and single-payer systems outside of the U.S. have stricter medical standards in regards to approving payment of eye muscle surgery. Also, they do not pay as well for eye muscle surgery as insurance companies in the U.S.
The public needs to be aware that ophthalmologists are not the ultimate authorities in all areas of visual health. Ophthalmologists are wonderful surgeons and excellent authorities about eye disease, but as a rule they're under informed about subject areas such as, visual processing, convergence, accommodation and vision therapy. Some ophthalmologists concede this. In the medical journal, Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society, eye muscle surgeon and researcher David Guyton, M.D., states: "We [ophthalmologists] have probably
abdicated the study of accommodation and convergence to the optometric profession.
A perusal of the literature will reveal that most of the advances in this area are being made in the optometric institutions by vision scientists who use definitions and terms with which we are not even familiar."
Vision therapy can improve v
isual function so the patient/student is better equipped to benefit from educational instruction. In 1991, Firmon Hardenbergh, M.D., the Chief of Ophthalmology at Harvard University Health Services, had this to say regarding a double-blind scientific study of children with reading disability and convergence difficulty: "The application of orthoptics [included in vision therapy] to all learning/reading disabled or deficient children who manifest convergence insufficiency should be the first line of therapy."
Regarding visual processing and learning disabilities, Corinne Smith, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Education at Syracuse University, noted in her 1997 text on Learning Disabilities, that students with visual perception disabilities have trouble making sense out of what they see. "The problem is not with their eyesight, but with the way their brains process visual information."
According to law in many states, if a child is classified as having a specific learning disability, the school is required to either provide the necessary therapy, or to pay for the parents to obtain the necessary help not provided by the school. This puts educators in a tight spot. Funds are limited, so schools understandably try to minimize expenditures. Regarding perceptual impairment or visual processing disorders, educators are sometimes faced with two basic choices: Have someone already on staff provide the therapy necessary or
What problems or concerns are you having with your vision or performance? What options have you tried other than vision therapy, and what has been the result?
You can learn more about eye muscle surgery as a treatment for lazy eye or eye turns, etc. by visiting the web site of Dr. Jeffrey Cooper. Re: vision therapy treatment, you'll always get the best results if you intervene at a young age, IF you can get a child's cooperation. But, children have little motivation to cooperate. It's been proven that a motivated adult with strabismus and/or amblyopia who works diligently at vision therapy can obtain meaningful improvement in visual function. As my patients are fond of saying: "I'm not looking for perfection; I'm looking for you to help me make it better". It's important that eye doctors don't make sweeping value judgments for patients. Rather than saying "nothing can be done", the proper advice would be: "You won't have as much improvement as you would have had at a younger age; but I'll refer you to a vision specialist who can help you if you're motivated."
With the advent of computers in the work environment, we're seeing more adults with eye strain-related vision problems which can be improved through vision therapy. Also, there are special needs patients with developmental or head injury problems which neuro-optometric diagnosis and vision therapy treatment can uniquely help. Still, the majority of my patients continue to be children with learning or reading problems who have been through all kinds of interventions. These children have been told that their eyes are healthy and that glasses aren't necessary, but they continue to struggle with visual processing. Their visual processing problems or developmental vision problems can't be detected unless the eye doctor specifically tests for them. I'd like to sum up with a quote from the web site of one of the world's leading vision companies, Ciba Vision: "Because reading problems usually have multiple causes, treatment must often be multidisciplinary. Educators, psychologists, eye care practitioners and other professionals often must work together to meet each person's needs. The eye practitioner's role is to help overcome any vision problems interfering with the ability to read. Once those are addressed the student is better prepared to respond to special reading education efforts." (www.cibavision.com, 1999)