Vision Therapy - Current Definitions in Clinical Practice

Current Definitions in Clinical Practice

Vision Therapy encompasses a wide variety of non-surgical methods which some have divided into two broad categories based on their clinical acceptance and general practice by eyecare professionals:

• 1) Orthoptic Vision Therapy, also known as orthoptics.

It may be prescribed to patients with problems of visual related skills required for reading, eye strain, visually induced headaches, strabismus and/or diplopia It is commonly practiced by optometrists and behavioral optometrists - however, more specialized problems are co-managed between orthoptists and ophthalmologist

• 2) Behavioral Vision Therapy, or Visual Integration Vision Therapy (also known as behavioral or developmental optometry).

Behavioural Vision Therapy does not limit itself to disorders of the visual system. For example, Behavioral Optometrists hold that the sensitivity of a professional athlete's peripheral vision on the playing field may have enhanced responsiveness to fast moving objects with vision therapy, beyond the normal realm general improvement with practicing their sport. Ophthalmologists and orthoptists do not endorse these exercises as having clinically significant validity for improvements in vision. Furthermore, absent of any visual pathology they view perceptual-motor deficiencies as being in the sphere of either speech therapy, occupational therapy or physical therapy.

• 3) Perception (motor) Therapy

Although the problems may have visual consequences, the visual system itself may be intact. Common management of dyslexia and sensory processing disorders by Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists for pathological or neurological conditions such as hemispatial neglect is viewed as outside of the realm of what is classified here as 'behavioural vision therapy'. This differentiation is primarily based on these disorders having widespread and independent efficacy of treatment.