Some visual conditions cannot be treated adequately with just glasses, contact lenses and/or patching, and are best resolved through prescribed Vision Therapy programs. Dr. Nicholson and the Visual Learning Center specializes in a particular type of Vision Therapy program which is called VIP.
What is VIP?
The Vision Improvement Program, or VIP as we call it, is a multidisciplinary, one-on-one approach that combines the principles of optometry, education and psychology into a program designed to benefit children with learning disorders.
Our program can help your child in the areas of:
Attention Span and Concentration: not being distracted by other students or activities
Motivation: taking the initiative to complete assignments and homework and to attend school
Memory Skills and Understanding: the ability to absorb material and pass exams
Speed of Learning: reduce the time it takes to complete assignments and homework.
Handling Tougher and More Complex Activities: reading and problem solving
An 11 Point Overview of the VIP Program
- VIP is based on the best scientific research available and is continually modified to incorporate new scientific data.
- VIP targets and trains those skills that are most likely to have a
meaningful impact on learning performance and academic abilities.
- VIP is provided individually to achieve significant results quickly.
- VIP consists of sequenced procedures to challenge Ö not bore or frustrate Ö
the student.
- VIP is provided on a one-on-one basis to allow immediate feedback (error
correction and positive reinforcement).
- VIP improves the studentås self-esteem by allowing him or her to actually
see the difference in his or her own performance.
- VIP drives new skills to the subconscious so that they become habitual and
automatic.
- VIP procedures appear to be non-academic so that they are different from
the schoolwork with which the student may have had negative experiences.
- VIP requires parental involvement. Practicing at home will provide
cost-effective repetitious procedures, often mend parent-student
relationships, and help transfer learned skills to everyday activities.
- VIP develops meaningful skills that are used in the studentås daily
activities so that there is a high level of retention.
- VIP produces valuable results (there is a high return) when considering
committed effort, time, and finances.
What is Vision Therapy?
Vision Therapy is an individualized, supervised, treatment program designed to correct visual-motor and/or perceptual-cognitive deficiencies. Vision Therapy sessions include procedures designed to enhance the brain's ability to control:
- eye alignment,
- eye tracking and eye teaming,
- eye focusing abilities,
- eye movements, and/or
- visual processing.
Visual-motor skills and endurance are developed through the use of specialized computer and optical devices, including therapeutic lenses, prisms, and filters. During the final stages of therapy, the patient's newly acquired visual skills are reinforced and made automatic through repetition and by integration with motor and cognitive skills.
Who Benefits from Vision Therapy?
Children and adults with visual challenges, such as:
- Learning-related Vision Problems
Vision Therapy can help those individuals who lack the necessary visual skills for effective reading, writing, and learning (i.e., eye movement and focusing skills, convergence, eye-hand activity, visual memory skills, etc.).
To learn more about learning-related vision problems, visit any of these web pages on:
- 20-20 Eyesight and 20/20 Eye Screenings - Not Perfect for Learning and School!,
- All About Learning Related Vision Problems,
- Learning Related Vision Problems and Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD/ADHD), Dyslexia, and Learning Disabilities (LDs),
- Eyesight & Vision: Vision Therapy Helps Students with Reading Problems or Reading Below Grade Level, Handwriting, Homework, Spelling, and Math, etc.,
- Eyesight & Vision: Vision Therapy Helps Students Who've Been Labeled Attention Deficit (ADHD), Slow Learners, Lazy Students, Behavior Problems, Special Education, Gifted Learning Disabled, etc.,
- Vision Therapy as Treatment for Learning Disabilities.
- Poor Binocular (2-eyed) Coordination
Vision Therapy helps individuals develop normal coordination and teamwork of the two eyes (binocular vision). When the two eyes fail to work together as an effective team, performance in many areas can suffer (reading, sports, depth perception, eye contact, etc.).
To learn more about binocular (two-eyed) vision, visit any of these web pages on:
- Convergence Insufficiency (common near vision disorder)
Recent scientific research -- funded by the National Eye Institute and conducted at Mayo Clinic -- has proven that in-office Vision Therapy is the best treatment for Convergence Insufficiency.
To learn all about Convergence Insufficiency, go to:
- Amblyopia (lazy eye), Diplopia (double vision), and Strabismus (cross-eyed, wandering eye, eye turns, etc.)
Vision Therapy programs offer much higher cure rates for turned eyes and/or lazy eye when compared to eye surgery, glasses, and/or patching, without therapy.
The earlier the patient receives Vision Therapy the better, however, our office successfully treats patients well past 21 years of age.
Recent scientific research has disproven the long held belief that children with lazy eye, or amblyopia, can’t be helped after age 7.
To learn more about crossed eyes, eye turns, or lazy eye, visit any of these web pages on:
- Amblyopia, Lazy Eye, and Strabismus - Not All The Same!,
- Children's Vision: Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Strabismus (Crossed Eyes, Cross-eyed, Wall-eyed, Intermittent Exotropia, Hypertropia, Esotropia, etc.), Exophoria...,
- Eye Muscle Surgery: Treatment for Strabismus, Lazy Eye, Intermittent Exotropia, etc.,
- What is Amblyopia or Lazy Eye?,
- What is Convergence Insufficiency Disorder, Intermittent Exotropia, Exophoria?,
- What is Seeing Double or Double Vision?,
- Vision Therapy Eye Exercises as Treatment for Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Strabismus (Crossed eyes), Convergence Insufficiency Disorder, etc..
Stress-related Visual Problems - Blurred Vision, Visual Stress from Reading and Computers, Eye Strain Headaches, and/or Vision-induced Stomachaches or Motion Sickness
21st century life demands more from our vision than ever before. Many children and adults constantly use their near vision at school, work and home. Environmental stresses on the visual system (including excessive computer use or close work) can induce blurred vision, eyestrain, headaches, etc. To learn about these visual problems and vision therapy, see:
- What is a Common Near Vision Problem and the Leading Cause of Eyestrain, Blurred Vision, Double Vision, and/or Headaches?,
- Told They Had 20/20, but Still Had Problems...,
- Eye Exercises for Blurred Vision, Blurry Eyesight (Reading and Computer Work),
- Dizziness, Motion Sickness, Eye Strain, Stomachaches, Double Vision...,
- Eye Exercises for Eye Strain, Eye Fatigue (Computer Work and Reading),
- Relief from Frequent or Chronic Headaches, Visual Stress, Eyestrain, and/or Stomachaches during or after Reading, School or Office Work.
Visual Rehabilitation for Special Needs - Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Stroke, Birth Injury, Brain Damage, Head Injury, Whiplash, Cerebral Palsy, MS, etc.
Vision can be compromised as a result of neurological disorders or trauma to the nervous system. Vision Therapy can effectively treat the visual consequences of brain trauma (including double vision).
To learn more about visual rehabilitation with vision therapy, see:
- Visual Rehabilitation following Brain Damage, Birth Injury, Head Injury, Stroke, Acquired Brain Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), etc.,
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Blurred Vision, Reading Problems, Double Vision, Eye Pain, Headaches with Reading, Visual Field Loss...,
- Brain Injury Rehabilitation - Success Stories with Vision Therapy.
Visual Rehabilitation for Special Needs - Developmental Delays, Visual Perceptual Visual-Motor Deficits, Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders
To learn more about vision therapy as it relates to developmental delays or disorders, see:
Sports Vision Improvement
Strong visual skills are critical to sports success. Not much happens in sports until your eyes instruct your hands and body as to what to do! We can measure and successfully improve eye-hand coordination, visual reaction time, peripheral vision, eye focusing, eye tracking and teaming, visualization skills, and more. Find out how children and adults improve coordination and sports ability through Vision Therapy.
Vision Therapy can be the answer to many visual problems. Don't hesitate to contact our office with your questions.
To read definitions of Vision Therapy by outside sources, see What is Vision Therapy? and/or Vision Therapy? Self-help Eye Exercises?. To browse through hundreds of stories writtten by parents, teachers, adults and children, go to a national of catalog of Vision Therapy Success Stories. To browse through hundreds of stories by parents, teachers, adults and children, go to a national of catalog of Vision Therapy Success Stories.
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