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Vision therapy at home - recommendations?


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My ds11 has perfect vision, but his eye(s) jump out of focus when he has to concentrate close range for any length of time, such as with reading. So he is getting some mild fuzzy vision and headaches from having to constantly refocus while reading or playing DS or whatever.

 

I'm rather annoyed bc the dr said VT could likely correct the problem permanently, but most people just get prism glasses which don't correct the problem, but adjusts what he sees so his eyes don't have to do the work.

 

So he has a rx for prism glasses.

 

But my view is true health is solving the problem, not band aiding it, if a solution is possible.

 

So I would like to look into doing vision therapy at home.

 

State Medicaid and our private insurance does not cover vision therapy and the dr said it was mild enough that she didn't feel it worth VT:001_huh:

 

So if he is going to get it, it going to have to be something more affordable at home.

 

Opinions? Recommendations?

 

TIA

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Brainware Safari has great exercises for vision training as well as other skills like auditory processing and improving sequential memory. You can find out more and get a GREAT discount online at Homeschool Buyers Co-op.

 

Also, if you have a Wii or DS, there are some games that can help improve vision skills: Flash Focus; (I believe) Right-brain, Left-brain; Brain-Age, Big Brain Academy, etc.

 

You can also do a lot with tennis balls. My daughter's optometrist told me to tie a tennis ball on a string and hang it about eye level in a doorway. Then she was to get something like a broom handle and bat the ball with alternate ends of the stick and try to maintain control and rhythm.

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It sounds like accommodative dysfunction, which my dd has. FWIW, she has bifocals (she also needed a new distance prescription anyway). We have not yet been back to see the optometrist who did her VT a few years ago; I'm waiting to see how the bifocals work out.

 

There seems to be disagreement among optometrists regarding VT for this. Apparently, some people need bifocals and VT. Some people just need bifocals. But from what I looked at, bifocals are almost always recommended, for the purpose of reducing fatigue. The eye sort of spasms when trying to focus at a new distance, and fatigue apparently makes it worse, or something.

 

I would not recommend trying to do VT at home for this unless you get very good confirmation of what sorts of exercises to do for the issue at hand. My dd has already been through VT for eye tracking. She now has a different problem altogether, and I would assume the exercise plan for it would differ from her old VT.

 

In my dd's case, this was brought about by a combination of a rapidly worsening distance vision occurring at the same time as a huge increase in time spent reading.

 

My understanding from the optometrist who prescribed her glasses is that she might no longer need the bifocals in a few years, i.e., she'll outgrow it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the other optometrist agrees. :)

 

Here's one of the articles I found during my search last month http://www.aoa.org/documents/QRG-18.pdf

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A year ago there was no problem and this year it is mild. Both optometrist in the office said if we go the glasses route, he will need them for life as he will not outgrow this and it is not something that self corrects.

 

So to my mind, if VT can correct the problem, it just makes sense.

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A year ago there was no problem and this year it is mild. Both optometrist in the office said if we go the glasses route, he will need them for life as he will not outgrow this and it is not something that self corrects.

 

So to my mind, if VT can correct the problem, it just makes sense.

 

I'm wondering then whether my guess is wrong about it being accommodative dysfunction, because for dd, it's highly unlikely she'll need the bifocals for life, according to both the optometrist we saw and other stuff I read on the web (a possibility, but highly unlikely; distance is another story - she's now a lifer like her momma ;)). In dd's case, it's not a glasses-vs.-VT question - it's a glasses-vs.glasses-plus-VT question.

 

As far as VT goes, be aware that VT is not a one-size-fits-all thing. Different problems require different exercises, and/or a different sequence of exercises. Just any ol' VT exercises will NOT do, IMO.

 

I agree with you that if VT will fix it, that totally makes sense, if the optometrists are correct that the alternative would be glasses for life. Even if you can't afford VT, it might be worth it to see an optometrist who does VT, for an opinion. www.covd.org (look especially for one with FCOVD after their name). I'd be very interested in hearing whether a covd doc agreed with the glasses for life prognosis.

 

And please check out the many VT discussions on the special needs board. :)

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