Optometric Vision Therapy is the science of developing visual abilities to achieve optimal visual performance and comfort.

Optometric Vision Therapy is a specifically prescribed program to help a patient’s brain and eyes work effectively and efficiently together. Similarly to Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, patients work with a trained therapist during weekly office visits then practice at home during the week. The treatment involves lenses, prisms, 3D tranaglyphs and vectograms, perceptual learning procedures, vision therapy computer software, and many neuromuscular feedback mechanisms. Lenses and prisms provide the brain information about whether an object is blurry or clear, single or double, direction of movement, and space. Three dimensional (3D) procedures are used to teach the brain about eye teaming and depth perception.

Vision Therapy treats developmental visual problems, provides visual rehabilitation, and visual enhancement training.  Vision therapy is the link that connects the brain to clear eyesight. Eyesight that is 20/20 is not enough. Sight is not the same as vision. “Eyesight” is a physical process of focusing light within our eyes, whereas “vision” involves our ability to understand what is seen.

The guiding principle of vision care provided by all members of the College of Optometrist in Visual Development (COVD) is that vision can be developed and improved. For example, we know that infants are not born with fully developed visual abilities and that good vision is developed through a learned process.

Therapy is prescribed and overseen by Dr. Kristi Kading. Dr. Kading is residency trained and board certified in visual development and vision therapy. At our office, Vision Therapy is individually designed for each patient's needs. The treatment program is based on each patient’s diagnoses, symptoms, visual deficiencies, and their effect on optimal work, school, sport, or hobby performance.

A therapy program includes weekly office visits working one-on-one with a highly trained Optometric Vision Therapist and prescribed home reinforcement procedures. This type of program has been shown to be the most successful. Regular progress evaluations are scheduled to monitor each patient’s progress, goals, symptoms, and to determine the length of the program. After a patient graduates from their Vision Therapy program, the patient is monitored with home maintenance evaluations.

Vision Therapy is used to treat many conditions from simple eyestrain to crossed eyes.  Below is a list of common conditions treated in our clinic.

+ Strabismus: Exotropia (wandering-eye), Esotropia (cross-eyed), Hyper/hypotropia (vertical)
+ Amblyopia (lazy eye)
+ Accommodative problems (eye focusing and flexibility)
+ Binocular vision problems (eye teaming, coordination, and depth perception)
+ Oculomotor Dysfunctions in pursuits and saccades (eye tracking)
+ Visual Perceptual/Visually Related Learning Problems
+ Visual Dysfunctions after a Closed Head Injury
+ Visual Performance Enhancement for Sport

Our office provides state-of-the-art Vision Therapy. Dr. Kristi Kading and the Optometric Vision Therapists are continually involved with training, education, and collaboration in visual development, neurology, and Vision Therapy. Dr. Kading is board certified with the College of Optometrist in Visual Development (COVD).

There is no procedure or instrument that makes a patient better – it is what the patient learns from the procedure. This learning is what changes brain structure and processing and is why Optometric Vision Therapy is successful. We incorporate 4 Keys (Socratic Method, Learning Theory, Specific Praise, and Loading), which have proven to be very effective methods of treatment in Vision Therapy.

+ Skipping words or sentences when reading.
+ Reversing words or letters (after 1st grade).
+ Rereading lines or phrases.
+ Reading slowly or difficulty with reading comprehension.
+ Using a finger or a pointer when reading.
+ Unusual fatigue or restlessness after maintaining visual attention.
+ Words, letters or lines "running together" or "jumping around."
+ Complaints of blur while reading or writing.
+ Frowning, blinking, squinting, or rubbing eyes.
+ Holding reading material closer than normal.
+ Head movement while reading.
+ Covering or closing one eye.
+ Avoidance of close work.
+ Short attention span or day dreaming.
+ An eye that turns in, out, up, or down.
+ Excessive tearing of the eyes.
+ Frequent headaches.
+ Double vision.
+ Errors and difficulty copying from chalkboard.
+ Slowness in all schoolwork.