Can Vision Therapy Help Eye Movement Problems?
Nearsightedness and farsightedness aren't the only issues that may affect your vision. Eye movement problems can cause vision issues ranging from double vision to headaches. Vision therapy offers an effective way to correct eye movement problems and improve symptoms.
What Causes Eye Movement Problems?
Eye movement disorders happen when the eyes don't move together smoothly. You might have an eye movement problem if you can't follow moving objects easily, or your eyes work independently of each other instead of as a team. Some people are born with eye movement disorders, while others develop these disorders due to head injuries or neurological conditions, like multiple sclerosis or stroke.
These eye movement disorders may affect your vision:
- Strabismus. Strabismus is an eye alignment problem. The misaligned eyes send conflicting signals to the brain, which struggles to create a single sharp image from the information it receives. Strabismus is commonly called "crossed eyes," but eyes may turn inward, outward, upward, or downward. If strabismus isn't treated promptly, the brain may begin to ignore information from one eye, causing a condition called amblyopia (lazy eye). About 13 million people in the U.S. have strabismus, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
- Convergency Insufficiency (CI). Convergence insufficiency happens when the eyes struggle to turn inward when focusing on close objects. If one or both eyes drift outwards when focusing, the brain receives different information from the eyes.
- Nystagmus. Reading, writing, watching TV and playing sports are difficult when your eyes make constant involuntary movements. Your eyes may move up, down or in a circle.
- Eye Tracking Issues. The ability to track objects with your eyes is an essential part of good vision. Poor eye tracking skills affect your ability to follow a moving target or read.
- Saccadic Dysfunction. Saccades are the eye movements you use to shift your focus from one object to another. If you have saccadic dysfunction, your eyes may shift too far or not far enough.
Many eye movement problems originate in the brain. The brain controls the eye muscles and tells the eyes how and when to move.
Benefits of Vision Therapy
Many types of vision problems, including eye movement disorders, can be corrected or improved with vision therapy. After performing a comprehensive eye examination, your vision therapist creates a vision therapy plan that strengthens the crucial relationship between the eyes and the brain.
Vision therapy advantages include:
- Easier Reading. Do you avoid reading because you lose your place easily? Vision therapy may improve your tracking skills and saccade accuracy, making it easier to read. In addition to improving reading skills, vision therapy can decrease reading-related fatigue and improve comprehension.
- Improved Comfort. Your eyes must work much harder when you have an eye movement disorder. Improving eye coordination and movement with vision therapy could mean less eyestrain and fewer headaches.
- Better Depth Perception. It's difficult for the brain to create 3D images when the signals from the eyes don't match. During vision therapy, you'll participate in activities and games that improve eye teaming and other important skills.
- Enhanced Focus. Computer games and hands-on activities will make focusing easier and help you coordinate eye movements.
Is Vision Therapy Effective?
Multiple research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of vision therapy. A study published in the Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation in 2021 evaluated the benefits of oculomotor training for people with saccadic dysfunction. The oculomotor nerve coordinates eye position as the eye moves. Study participants completed a series of computer exercises twice a day for five minutes per session. After five days, participants saw a 25% improvement in saccade accuracy.
Vision therapy also improved eye alignment in a research study focused on children with strabismus and amblyopia. The study, published in International Ophthalmology in 2023, examined the effects of vision training on children ages 3 to 9. Some children received prism lenses only, while others received the lenses and also participated in vision training. The strabismus cure rate at the end of the study was 87% for the combination group and 30% for the group that only used prism lenses.
Whether your child struggles with an eye movement disorder, or you suspect you may have a movement problem, vision therapy offers an effective solution. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the vision therapist.
Sources:
American Optometric Association: Nystagmus
https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/nystagmus
Cleveland Clinic: Strabismus, 6/20/2023
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/strabismus-eye-misalignment
PMC: Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation: Oculomotor Training for Poor Saccades Improves Functional Vision Scores and Neurobehavioral Symptoms, 3/31/2021
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8212010/
PubMed: International Ophthalmology: Efficacy of Binocular Vision Training and Fresnel Press-On Prism in Children with Esotropia and Amblyopia, 2/2023
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35945412/
MedlinePlus: Eye Movement Disorders