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Vision Therapy


Could Your Child Benefit From Vision Therapy?

Is your child have difficulty reading at grade level?
Is your child reaching his potential in school?

Undetected visual problems may be holding your child back.

Home » Vision Therapy

Effective vision comes down to the way the brain and eyes interact. Whether reading words on the board, catching a ball, or tying our shoelaces, we rely on our visual system to work properly in order to succeed in these and other tasks.

Someone can pass all vision screening exams and excel in reading the charts on the wall, but still struggle with poor hand-eye coordination, reading problems, diminished focus, strabismus, convergence insufficiency, and amblyopia —all of which can be effectively addressed through vision therapy.

What is Vision Therapy?


Vision Therapy, also known as Developmental Optometry, is a custom regimen of individualized activities and exercises made to retrain the brain and eyes to work better as a team and improve vision functioning. The aim of vision therapy is to enhance vision processing skills such as eye-tracking, focusing and eye teaming abilities, as well as hand-eye coordination and visual processing speed. This is effective for those struggling with reading, memory, focus, balance, fixation, picking up an object out of the background—and a wide range of other visual tasks.

Vision therapy is not only for children, but can also be effective in adults — particularly if they are determined to improve their visual abilities and strictly adhere to the program. Contact The Vision Therapy Center at Gold Coast Optometric Vision Performance to learn how Dr. Reuter Hanna can help you or your child function better in the day-to-day life.

eye care, children vision therapy

Who Can Benefit From Vision Therapy?


A large number of patients have an undiagnosed vision condition that might be affecting their ability to function, learn, and thrive.

Vision therapy can help patients of all ages with conditions and symptoms related to:

  • Amblyopia
  • Strabismus
  • Convergence Insufficiency
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Learning Disability
  • Down Syndrome
  • Autism
  • Developmental Disorders
  • ADD/ADHD
  • Dyslexia
  • Anyone seeking to reach peak performance in sports (Sports Vision Training)

Vision Issues: What Symptoms Should You Look Out For?


Teachers, parents, and adults should be on the lookout for the symptoms listed below, as they may indicate a vision issue.

  • Lazy eye, cross-eye, double vision
  • Difficulty Reading
  • Poor classroom performance
  • Difficulty staying focused
  • Strabismus (where both eyes are not aligned)
  • Amblyopia (lazy eye)
  • Poor hand-eye coordination
  • Constant squinting/head tilting
  • Using fingers to read
  • Favors one eye over the other
  • Poor handwriting
  • Headaches or fatigue after reading or computer work

eye exam, vision issues at school
eye care, vision therapy quiz

How Does Vision Therapy Work?


Vision therapy consists of personalized exercises that make use of lenses, prisms, filters, occluders, and other equipment aimed at developing visual skills and processing. Nowadays, thanks to advanced technologies and new computer-based therapies, doing and tracking homework is easier than ever. Computer programs and vision therapy apps have turned traditional vision therapy exercises into fun and interactive activities.

Vision Therapy typically consists of a weekly 45-minute in-office appointment and approximately 15-minutes of assigned daily exercises. The vision therapy program can range from a few weeks to several months, depending on the severity of the diagnosis, eye health, and patient compliance. Vision therapy involves close monitoring and follow-up appointments to ensure that there are noticeable improvements and positive changes in the patient’s visual functions. Over the course of the program, the eye doctor will decide how many visits are required in order to achieve optimal results.

Is There an Age Limit to Vision Therapy?


There is no age limit. Because of the brain’s neuroplasticity, the brain remains dynamic and flexible throughout one’s life. Just as with training a muscle or playing an instrument, the more we practice, the more skillful we become and the better our visual function.

How Long Will It Take to See Results with Vision Therapy?


For some people, gains can be experienced fairly soon. For others, it may take others up to 6 months to realize significant results. This, however, depends on each patient, their unique therapy regimen and their adherence to the vision therapy program.

Does Vision Or Medical Insurance Cover The Cost Of Vision Therapy?


Vision therapy may be covered under major medical insurance plans (vision therapy is most often applied to a medical policy as opposed to a vision policy). However, certain insurance companies may deny or place severe limits on coverage for vision therapy as a cost-saving measure. When sorting out the insurance details for vision therapy, it’s important to know what questions to ask of your insurance agent or workplace HR department.

If you’re considering vision therapy, let us help you understand how to ask the right questions of your insurance company to determine whether you can get coverage.

The first step in determining whether vision therapy can help you or your child with work, school, and sports, is to contact The Vision Therapy Center at Gold Coast Optometric Vision Performance and schedule a comprehensive exam with Dr. Reuter Hanna. Following the exam, Dr. Reuter Hanna will provide a diagnosis and determine whether vision therapy is the best course of action. If so, you or your child will be prescribed an individualized eye treatment program.

The Vision Therapy Center at Gold Coast Optometric Vision Performance is committed to transforming lives through vision therapy. We serve patients from Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Huntington, Cold Spring Harbor, and throughout New York.

Serving Vision Therapy Patients from:

Oyster Bay | Glen Cove | Huntington | Cold Spring Harbor | and throughout New York

  • Prism Lenses Thumbnail.jpg
    Prism eyeglasses are worn to correct double vision. Prisms also are used in vision therapy, which is made up of a series of eye exercises to help the eyes and brain communicate more efficiently to alleviate double vision and other conditions.
  • Vision Therapy for Adult Thumbnail.png
    To succeed in most professions, one needs to have strong visual skills. If these skills are deficient in any way, performance can be adversely affected. Fortunately, vision therapy can help.
  • child at the school Thumbnail.jpg
    Beginning in adolescence and through their early 20s, young people should undergo annual functional eye exams that assess the visual skills necessary to succeed in school, sports, and everyday life. The start of the new school year is a good time to get these visual skills checked.
  • Who is a Candidate for Vision Therapy Thumbnail.jpg
    Having good visual skills is the key to being able to read, play sports, and perform many other tasks, but even people with excellent eyesight may lack vision skills. That’s where vision therapy can help.
  • Does Your Child Have Dyslexia Thumbnail.jpg
    Dyslexia causes children and adults to struggle with reading, writing and speaking, which in turn leads to learning difficulties. But are these learning difficulties caused by dyslexia or a vision problem — or both? And can they be treated by an optometrist?
  • Vision is more than simply seeing– it is the cognitive ability to interpret and understand information perceived by the eyes and processed through neural pathways, to devise an appropriate response.
  • Sports vision training is designed to improve the athlete’s visual skills for their sport. The training continues until the athlete reaches automaticity in visual performance skills, with a high degree of peripheral awareness and visual processing speed.
  • Children Vision Assessment
    Have your child take our quiz to discover if he/she has functional vision issues that stand in the way of his academic achievement and quality of life.
  • little boy skipping on road.jpg
    Children with special needs are more prone to developing vision problems than the general population. These visual deficits often hamper their academic achievements. Read on to learn how vision therapy can help these children achieve their full potential.
  • Amblyopia
    Amblyopia, referred to as “lazy eye”, is a condition where the brain and eyes are not functioning together in unison.  Vision therapy treats amblyopia (lazy eye) in children and adults alike, using proven methods of neuro-optometric therapy and developmental optometry.
  • Why a Vision Screening Is Not Enough Thumbnail.jpg
    Good vision is so much more than 20/20. A vision screening measures visual acuity only but does not uncover vision deficiencies, such as poor focus or tracking problems, convergence insufficiency, and other essential functional vision skills. These can have a profound effect on your child’s learning abilities and overall success in life.
  • Vision Therapy for Kids Thumbnail.jpg
    Studies show that children with vision problems are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD as compared to their peers. Learn how vision therapy can help maximize your child's visual skills to reach their full potential.
  • Why Visit a Developmental Optometrist
    Children with undetected vision problems can struggle with reading and writing, which can adversely affects their studies and quality of life. Read on to find out the ways a Developmental Optometrist can help.
  • patching lazy eye.jpg
    Amblyopia, commonly referred to as Lazy Eye, occurs when the brain and the eye are not working in unison, resulting in decreased vision in an eye that otherwise seems healthy. The only treatment available which treats the amblyopia and not just the symptoms is Vision Therapy, also called Development Optometry.
  • Children at school Thumbnail.jpg
    Undiagnosed vision problems are at times at the root or an overlooked component of a child’s diagnosis with ADD/ADHD or a learning disability. By undergoing a thorough eye evaluation, you may discover that the issue is, in fact, a functional vision problem. Fortunately, this can be corrected with a highly effective vision therapy program.
  • chess thumbnail.jpg
    Approximately 60% of stroke survivors develop some form of visual impairment, including diminished central or peripheral vision, eye movement abnormalities, or visual perceptual defects. Focus, double vision, balance, visual memory, and depth perception are all affected. A neuro-optometrist can help rehabilitate any of these and other resultant visual aberrations.
  • Functional Vision Exam Thumbnail.jpg
    Just because someone has 20/20 vision, doesn't mean that they can see well. A large percentage of students pass vision screenings with flying colors, yet still experience serious functional vision issues impacting development, life functions and learning. Only a Functional Vision Exam can evaluate whether all essential visual skills are working correctly.
  • Syntonic Phototherapy Thumbnail.jpg
    Syntonic phototherapy (light therapy) uses visible light frequencies (color) to improve visual attention and decrease any symptoms associated with various eye problems. This therapy benefits those with double vision, eye strain and fatigue, headaches, reduced peripheral vision, and more.  
  • Thumbnail Kids
    Keep Up-To-Date with our Vision Therapy Blog!
  • Vision Therapy Can Improve Reading Skills In Children Thumbnail.jpg
    By training the eyes and brain to seamlessly work together, vision therapy effectively treats visual dysfunctions that interfere with a child’s reading and learning abilities.
  • strabismus Thumbnail.jpg
    Strabismus, also known as an “eye turn” or “cross-eye”, is a condition characterized by the improper alignment of the eyes. Vision therapy effectively treats this condition by teaching the brain and eyes to work together to correct the eye misalignment and thus achieve clear and comfortable vision.
  • Convergence Insufficiency Thumbnail.jpg
    Children often struggle with learning and sports as a result of undiagnosed vision problems — most commonly Convergence Insufficiency (CI). CI has been shown to affect a child’s reading ability, attention and overall school performance. Learn how vision therapy can treat this condition thereby leading to more success in school, work and in sports.
  • down syndrome thumbnail.jpg
    Those with Down syndrome (DS) can experience a range of visual problems and disorders, and can be at risk of developing vision-robbing ocular diseases, such as glaucoma. Read on to learn more and find out how vision therapy can help.
  • thumbnail Female Child Looking Upward 1280×480 1.jpg
    Those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience a range of visual problems and disorders, such as lazy eye, strabismus, light sensitivity, and the inability to track moving objects, among others. Read on to learn more and how vision therapy can help.