When we think about vision, we usually picture the eye-chart at the doctor’s office, and whether or not we’re able to see that bottom line. But vision goes beyond your ability to see 20/20. Vision involves how you interpret and process the information that you see, as well as how effectively your eyes work together. There are a range of visual skills that we use to navigate through our daily lives. These include:
Tracking - such as reading words on a page or following a moving ball
Focusing strength - changing your focus between an object far away and then bringing it back to an object nearer to you
Depth perception - the ability to accurately perceive where things are in space
Maintaining attention - keeping attention focused on the task at hand, ignoring distractions or interfering information
Binocularity - using both eyes together smoothly and effectively
These visual skills are not always as strong as they need to be, which can cause symptoms of visual stress and strain. You may experience headaches and fatigue, or you may notice you have trouble reading for sustained periods of time. You might be uncoordinated and clumsy, bumping into things, or you may have poor handwriting. All of these symptoms could be a reflection of an underlying visual issue.
A behavioural optometrist and vision therapist can work with you to identify if you may be struggling with a visual issue. Vision therapy can help to improve your visual skills and enhance your visual system. A vision therapist will guide you through different exercises through the course of your therapy program to strengthen these skills. If you or someone you know is struggling with any of these symptoms, vision therapy could be the solution. Contact our office for more information, or find a behavioral optometrist near you.
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Written by: Tali Main
Photo Credit: Stefan Cosma