What is Amblyopia?
Amblyopia, sometimes called “lazy eye” is decreased vision in one or both eyes. With amblyopia, there may not be an obvious problem with the eye. Vision loss occurs because nerve pathways between the brain and the eye aren't properly stimulated. The brain favors one eye and ignores the other. “First time getting glasses for my 2-year-old with amblyopia, and it could not have been a more pleasant and supportive experience. Pretty spectacular service and so good with kids!”
What is Strabismus?
Strabismus (eye turn) is a vision problem where the eyes are not aligned simultaneously under normal conditions. Strabismus in children does not go away without learning the skills necessary to fuse the images from each eye. Many times, the eye is straightened with strabismus surgery. If the eyes do not learn how to share images to provide the “glue” between them, there is a strong risk for the eye to turn again. This is where Active Optometric Vision Therapy comes in.
Benefits of VT3
Amblyopia and Strabismus in children and adults is treatable and can be highly beneficial. For example, patients feel more comfortable in social settings because they feel less self-conscious about their eye turn. Patients also find they can make decisions more easily because they’re able to use both sides of their brain both easily and efficiently.
What happens in a VT3 Therapy Session?
During a therapy session, you or your child will be taught how to improve the vision in the nondominant eye and how to fuse the images of both eyes to keep visual targets single and clear. Our customized program improves the ability to understand depth perception and decreases strain and fatigue that arises from one eye doing the work of two. A typical VT3 Program is 40-48 weeks long, which include 1-2 one-hour sessions per week along with 15 minutes of home support on the days between sessions. Progress checks are every 10-12 sessions, 1-month post-therapy, 3 months post-therapy and 6 months post-therapy to ensure that the information is being learned as planned.