Our approach is both behavioral and developmental…

Vision is more than 20/20 eyesight. Those “eye tests” your child undergoes at school or in their pediatrician’s office are basic screenings for eyesight across the room. These screenings pick up basic 20/20 eyesight problems for an eventual eyeglass prescription. These screenings do NOT identify children who have vision problems. Vision is a complex process. We don’t just “see” with our eyes but we inspect, discriminate, identify, and interpret. It takes 16 visual skills to effortlessly gather and interpret visual information. A large number of children struggle with reading, writing, copying from the board and hand-eye coordination in sports. They see clearly but they are struggling to get their eyes to work together efficiently and to understand what they are seeing. Garbage in results in garbage out.
We are not born with vision but only limited eyesight. Vision develops through movement and experience. Infants inspect and learn about their world through touch and taste. By toddlerhood, they are starting to inspect their world visually but our visual processing is not mature until early grade school. When a child enters kindergarten, it is assumed they are ready to learn visually. School relies on reading and writing and paying attention while seated in one’s seat. Poorly developed or immature visual systems will struggle in academic settings.
Since vision is a process of development, deficient skills can be attained or enhanced through guided visual training. It is never too late or too old.

Signs of possible vision problems:

• Tilts or moves head while reading or writing
• Covers or closes an eye when reading or writing
• Loses place, skips words or lines when reading or copying
• Uses finger when reading
• Complains of tired eyes/ rubs eyes/watering eyes when reading and writing
• Reads slowly and with great effort
• Poor comprehension
• Headaches when reading or writing or on computer
• Easily distracted and shows poor concentration

If your answer is yes to any of these behaviors, then the Vision and Sensory Center, a Behavioral Optometric Office, can help. Behavioral Optometry takes a holistic approach to vision care. The visual system will be accessed for eye coordination and focusing as well as comfort and performance for your visual needs. You are treated as a whole person and your visual problem as part of a whole system.