By: Dr. Amber Teten – Optometrist Chesapeake VA
Each year you go to the Optometrist Chesapeake VA, you may get an updated prescription and a new pair of glasses. But did you know that visiting your Optometrist Chesapeake VA can impact your learning? As studies have shown, vision significantly impacts learning; 80% of learning is visual!
Vision is not only what you can see on an eye chart, like the “Big E” or smaller. This vision is your visual acuity, as 20/_something_. Yes, your Optometrist Chesapeake VA may tell you that you have a perfect visual acuity like 20/20, 20/15, or even 20/10! But how are your eyes and brain processing the visual information you receive throughout your day? Can you see something without getting too close or repeatedly looking at it to describe it? Can you read a book or spend your day on the computer without getting tired or having a headache? Can you catch a ball and have a conversation with your friend? Does your child complain of “blurred vision” and inability to “see” despite having an eye exam not long ago? Resulting in a new eye exam and the Eye Doctor telling you they need new glasses? Has your prescription in your glasses never seemed quite right or clear enough, no matter what you say to the eye doctor?
There is so much more to VISION than 20/20 eyesight. VISION is the entire visual process and how your eyes work together with your brain and body in your environment. Suppose your eyes and brain are not working efficiently and effectively together. Your Eye Doctor could give you your newest prescription glasses or contact lenses, and you may still feel like you have poor vision.
Should you schedule a visual evaluation from an Optometrist Chesapeake VA at Navigation Eye Care for your child or yourself? Look at the outline below to learn about common signs and symptoms of a vision problem.
Sometimes there are obvious signs or symptoms like a crossing eye or seeing double vision, but other symptoms can be more hidden. It might be something seemingly simple that you or your child have been making accommodations and working harder to compensate for years. It is not normal, and there is an easier way to have great vision. This outline highlights other symptoms that may be related to vision problems. If you or your child experience the following symptoms, a binocular vision or eye movement disorder could interfere with school or work performance. Call us at Navigation Eye Care to schedule a vision evaluation.
Common symptoms:
Reading and Digital Devices:
- Words jump, swim, move together, double, move on the page
- (This is one of the most common, and Dr. Teten has many descriptions that kids use to describe what they see. And Moms, your child often does not tell you until they are asked by their Eye Doctor at their eye exam what happens when they read a paper or book. A child thinks what they see is normal in their vision because it is what they know.)
- Poor reading comprehension
- Needing to reread to answer questions
- Headache during school, but not at home on the weekends
- Headache over/above one eye
- Usually, the eye that is not focusing or pointing in the right direction
- Eyes and/or body get tired when reading
- Losing place while reading
- Avoiding reading or tasks at near
- Blinking often when focusing
- Rubbing eyes, covering an eye, or leaning on an elbow
- Poor memory of something shown
- Preference for verbal, being read to or listening rather than reading
- Blurred vision when reading
- Dry, itching, or irritated eyes when reading
- Poor concentration when reading
- Eye turns out when tired or when doing schoolwork
- Hold books or screen too close to your eyes
- Double vision or shadowing of letters when reading
- Focus goes in and out when looking at something
General Academic or Performance Concerns:
- Poor interest in reading and school
- Homework takes longer than it should
- Big frustrations with homework
- Poor reading comprehension
- Feel like not at full potential
- Difficulty with attention, focus, or concentration
Movement in sports or play:
- Difficulty with balance
- Bump into things, feel clumsy, knock things over
- Dizzy when you are moving or watching things move (i.e., Car, carnival ride)
- Dislike or avoid busy, moving environments
Writing:
- Misaligns digits or columns of numbers
- Trouble copying from the board or piece of paper
- Write uphill or downhill or have difficulty with spacing and sizing
- Reverse numbers or letters like d and b or p and q (over age 6)
- Poor handwriting and grip
How are these above symptoms resolved? Do they get fixed by wearing new prescription glasses or contact lenses?
If you or your child has any of the symptoms mentioned above, vision therapy might be the perfect solution you’ve been searching for to help unlock your full potential. Call our office at 757-529-6889 to schedule a developmental vision exam with our Eye Doctor at Navigation Eye Care to see if you are a candidate for improving your vision with vision therapy.
Like how a knee brace may help support a knee injury, physical therapy will more completely help the muscles learn to appropriately support the injured knee. Vision therapy will more completely help the eye muscles and visual skills to be learned rather than only prescribing a pair of glasses to “fix the problem.” There is often no 100% quick fix in glasses that can be done for visual processing, eye tracking/teaming, functional vision problem, strabismus/amblyopia, or brain injury visual problem. The glasses can assist in the overall treatment process of vision therapy, and the prescription may change during treatment. But glasses alone are most often not the solution. This idea of glasses not being the solution to a vision problem is sometimes hard to understand. It can be difficult for the eye doctor to explain to a patient or parent of a patient that would highly benefit from vision therapy.
What is Vision Therapy?
Vision therapy is an Eye Doctor approved custom program, individual to the patient’s needs and vision problems. It is like physical therapy as a treatment for a physical muscle injury, pain, or poor development. Only vision therapy is for your visual skills and development. It helps the patient to be able to:
- Develop or improve fundamental visual skills and abilities
- Improve visual comfort, ease, and efficiency
- Improve the processing and memory of visual information
What conditions does vision therapy treat?
- Patients of any age with eye teaming problems such as convergence insufficiency, accommodation dysfunction, strabismus (eye turn), or amblyopia (“lazy eye”)
- Children who struggle with learning due to delays or disruption in visual development
- Patients of any age with reduced visual processing ability (i.e., concussion, stroke, neurological conditions)
- Adults with decompensating visual processing ability (i.e., double vision, headaches, motion sickness, eye strain with computer and digital devices)
So, if you or your child are experiencing any issues with their vision, we encourage you to call the Navigation Eye Care team at 757-529-6889 or schedule an appointment. We are equipped and prepared to care for you and your whole family. If you are looking for excellent service in a friendly manner, check us out. We highly recommend that you choose Navigation Eye Care when looking for a top Optometrist Chesapeake VA. We will serve in the Chesapeake area for many years and can’t wait to see you and your family.