What is BVD?

Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) is caused by the two eyes not working together, most frequently due to a misalignment between the two eyes.

When people have normal binocular vision, their eyes work in tandem and are perfectly in sync at all times, allowing the eyes to send one clear and focused picture to the brain.

How does BVD affect my life?

BVD impacts the lives of both children and adults, dramatically affecting the performance at the office and reading and learning skills.

BVD causes difficulties in seeing one clear image. The misalignment of the two eyes causes each eye to send a different image to the brain, which then struggles to turn them into one unified and clear image.

BVD Symptoms

BVD symptoms can lead to a variety of symptoms, including:

• Double vision
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Motion sickness
• Light sensitivity
• Stress
• Anxiety

Micro-prisms for BVD

BVD can be successfully treated with specific optical lenses called micro-prisms.

Prism lenses work to correct the misalignment in your eyes by manipulating incoming light before it enters your eyes, so when the images from the two eyes reach the brain, the brain can fuse them into a single image.

With prism lenses patients usually find that their symptoms gradually subside or completely disappear.

What to do next?

If you are an eye doctor and want to find out more about treating BVD, contact the Neuro-Visual Medicine Institute: www.nvminstitute.org/

If you feel you may have BVD and are looking for an eye doctor, visit this site: www.vision-specialists.com/

The post Micro-prisms and BVD appeared first on Optometrists.org.

What is BVD?

Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) is caused by the two eyes not working together, most frequently due to a misalignment between the two eyes.

When people have normal binocular vision, their eyes work in tandem and are perfectly in sync at all times, allowing the eyes to send one clear and focused picture to the brain.

BVD impacts the lives of both children and adults, dramatically affecting school grades and office performances.

Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you who can diagnose and treat BVD.

SEE RELATED: Micro-Prisms and BVD

BVD causes difficulties in seeing one clear image. The misalignment of the two eyes causes each eye to send a different image to the brain, which then struggles to turn them into one unified and clear image.

In most cases the misalignment is very subtle, making it difficult to identify.

Even though the misalignment may be small and physically unnoticeable, the symptoms can significantly impact school and office performances.

BVD can result in fatigue, tiredness, double vision and loss of concentration, often leading to increased levels of stress and anxiety.

BVD can manifest at any time, often without an identifiable cause, with symptoms usually experienced during school, college or after long hours at the office.

BVD Symptoms

BVD symptoms can lead to a variety of symptoms, including:

• Double vision
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Motion sickness
• Light sensitivity
• Stress
• Anxiety

If you find that you frequently suffer from any of the symptoms listed above, schedule an exam with an eye doctor that is trained and experienced in diagnosing and treating BVD.

BVD and Vision Therapy

BVD is successfully treated with vision therapy and specific optical lenses called ‘micro-prism lenses’

1. Vision Therapy 

Patients with BVD are often treated with an individualized vision therapy program.

Vision therapy is a program to improve the communication between the brain and the eyes, further supporting the visual system and alleviating the symptoms of BVD.

2. Micro-Prism Lenses

Prismatic lenses work to correct the misalignment in your eyes by manipulating incoming light before it enters your eyes, so when the images from the two eyes reach the brain, the brain can fuse them into a single image.

The prisms in the glasses ‘trick’ your brain into thinking your eyes are properly aligned, causing you to see just one object. This prevents eye muscle strain.

When prism lenses are combined with vision therapy, patients usually find that their symptoms gradually subside or completely disappear.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)

Contact a vision therapy eye doctor near you who has experience with BVD to discuss treatment options to help you effectively maximize your vision.

The post 2021 Update: Treatments for BVD appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Micro-prisms lenses are fast becoming the optimal treatment for people with Binocular Visual Dysfunction, BVD.

With healthy binocular vision, light enters the two eyes by passing through the cornea and focusing onto the retina in the back of the eye. The brain then interprets the information it receives from the retina of each eye, and produces a single image.

A single image can only be produced if the eyes are perfectly aligned and working together.

In an eye condition, known as Binocular Visual Dysfunction, the eyes are misaligned and is a common reason for the eye doctor prescribing micro-prism lenses.

Double vision or other symptoms occur when the brain tries needs to work hard to compensate for the misalignment of the two eyes.

Prism lenses bend light before it passes through the eye, to redirect the light onto the correct retinal area in each eye. The brain can then accurately interpret the information and produce a single image. 

If you suspect your child has an eye condition, contact an eye doctor near you, who can diagnose and treat the condition.

SEE RELATED: 2021 Update: Treatments for BVD

How is a prism prescribed?

Hirschberg test. This test is used to identify the presence of strabismus, or a turned eye. Your doctor will aim a small light at your eyes and look for a corneal reflection in the center of each pupil. If your reflection is off-center in either one or both eyes, you may have strabismus.

Krimsky test. This test is used to measure the degree of eye misalignment. Your doctor will aim a small light at your eyes, and place prisms of varying strengths in front of your eye. To determine which prism is appropriate for you, your doctor will look for the prism that is able to bring the corneal reflection to the center of your pupil.

Cover tests. There are three types of cover tests:

1. Cover/uncover test: One eye is covered while your doctor looks for any movement in the eye that is uncovered.
2. Prism and alternate cover test: A prism is placed in front of one eye while your doctor alternates the cover over your two eyes. This test measures the difference between the two eyes to determine what type of prism is appropriate for you.
3. Maddox test: Each eye sees a vertical or horizontal line. Your doctor will use prisms to measure the difference between each of the images. This test is used to determine which type of double vision you have (vertical or horizontal).

What is micro-prism?

Prisms are measured and prescribed with a unit of measurement called prism diopters, for example, 4 prism diopters (PD) or 8PD. The prism is added to your regular eyeglass prescription, in one or both of your lenses. The way the prism is situated depends on the type of double vision you have— either horizontal or vertical.

Micro-prisms is just a small amount of prism, usually under 2 PD.

Even though the amount of prism may be small, the impact on your visual system can be significant, resulting in comfortable vision and alleviating the symptoms of BVD.

Vision therapy

Vision therapy may also be a solution recommended by your eye doctor for your double vision or binocular visual dysfunction.

Vision therapy retrains your eye-brain connections to improve your visual skills for clearer, single vision, with or without your eyeglasses.

If you suffer from double vision or binocular vision difficulties, micro-prism lenses can be prescribed to improve your clarity of vision— enabling a more comfortable way of seeing.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)

Contact an eye doctor near you to find out if prism lenses could be the solution you have looking for.

The post Are Micro-Prisms the Answer for BVD? appeared first on Optometrists.org.

The term eye strain describes a group of symptoms which occurs after extended use of the eyes, usually involving intense concentration or long periods of sustained attention.

If you have any eye discomfort caused by looking at something for a long time, you probably have eye strain, you may have experienced Digital Eye Strain,  if you have sitting in front of a computer screen for hours!

One of the most common causes of Digital Eye Strain is a condition known as Binocular Visual Dysfuction. This is caused bt a misalignment between the two eyes and is successfully treated with prism lenses.

Schedule an appointment with a vision therapy eye doctor near you so that they can start helping you relieve your eye strain.

SEE RELATED: What is Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)?

What is eye strain?

Eye strain can have devastating effects on both school and office performances and add significantly to stress and anxiety.

The term eye strain is frequently used to describe a group of symptoms that are related to the overuse of the eyes.

Eye strain occurs when your eyes get tired from being used intensely, such as working at a computer or driving a car for extended periods. 

In some cases, signs and symptoms of eye strain indicate an underlying eye condition that needs treatment. While you may not be able to change your job, or all the factors that are causing eye strain, you can reduce it.

The two most common causes of eyestrain are Binocular Visual Dysfunction and Convergence Insufficiency.

What is Binocular Visual Dysfunction?

The symptoms of ocular fatigue, tired eyes, blurring, headaches, and occasionally double vision. are brought on by intense use of the eyes for visual tasks.

Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD) is a misalignment between the two eyes, requiring micro-prism lenses.

For some it can occur while concentrating on a visually intense task such as reading fine print or using the computer for hours at a time. These tasks can unconsciously cause the muscles in the eyelids, face, temples, and jaw to clench, leading to discomfort or pain from overusing those muscles.

When eye strain stems from the use of a digital device, it is called Digital Eye Strain (DES) and often results from Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD).

Struggling to see in dim light or an extremely bright or glary environment can also bring on eye strain.

People are found to blink less when staring at a digital screen. This decreased blinking may lead to dry eye syndrome.

The inability to make both eyes work together, due to BVD, is a leading cause of eye strain.

What is convergence insufficiency?

Convergence insufficiency (CI) is caused by the difficulty of coordinating the two eyes to look at near vision for extended periods of time

Convergence of the eyes occurs when the two eyes need to focus on a close object, such as a computer, or book.

Convergence insufficiency means the eyes struggle to maintain focus on near tasks, affecting school and work performance and many other aspects of life.

As the eyes struggle to focus, they experience eye strain and fatigue.

How can CI be treated?

The most effective treatment for CI is vision therapy.

Vision therapy is an effective customized program that improves the vision skills to achieve clearer and more comfortable vision.

To decrease some of the symptoms of CI your eye doctor may also prescribe prismatic (prism) eyeglasses. These are not meant to treat or cure the condition, but rather relieve the symptoms. In many cases, prisms are prescribed in combination with vision therapy.

How to protect your eyes from DES?

1. Set limits on screen time

It is important to establish a time limit for daily digital device use — and follow through with it.

The more hours a person spends in front of a screen, the greater their risk of developing symptoms of digital eye strain.

2. 20-20-20 rule

This rule helps to relax the eye muscles and prevent eye strain.

Eye strain can be caused by long periods of intense reading or staring at a digital device for too long. While watching TV or using a digital device, every 20 minutes look at something in the distance (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds.

3. Blink frequently

People blink less frequently when staring at a screen, which can lead to dry, sore eyes, as well as eye strain.

Remember to blink often while sitting in front of a screen, so you can keep your eyes healthy and moist.

4. Keep a distance

Ideally the screen should be at least 18-24 inches away from your eyes.

It is also important to ensure that the computer screen is positioned just below eye level so that you don’t strain your neck while staring at the screen.

5. Upright posture

Online learning and working from home are becoming more and more popular, leaving everyone sitting in front of a digital screen for many hours during the day.

Without proper posture, this can lead to shoulder, back and neck pain— common symptoms of digital eye strain.

To prevent this, your desk and chair should be at a comfortable height so your feet can rest on the floor. If your feet don’t reach the floor, a stool under the desk is a perfect solution.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)

If you are concerned about eye strain or fatigue, contact an eye doctor near you, as they can help diagnose and treat your eye strain symptoms.

The post 2021 Update: BVD and Digital Eye Strain appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Anxiety is the most common of all mental disorders. It can cause feelings of near-constant fear, panic, and worry. Feeling anxious and overwhelmed can come from being unsure of your surroundings and prevent sufferers from living a normal life.

When vision is misaligned, it can cause blurred or possibly double vision, dizziness, disorientation and visual overstimulation, especially in crowded places like malls or in crowds.

Many people with vision problems feel anxious and overwhelmed.

Many patients who have previously been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), agoraphobia, suicidal thoughts and panic attacks may actually be suffering from Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD). 

By treating a vision misalignment and allowing the eyes to see clearly and properly, symptoms of anxiety can be reduced or eliminated, providing you with an enormous sense of relief.

Contact an eye doctor near you who has experience working with patients with anxiety and diagnosing and treating BVD.

SEE RELATED: What is Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)?

What is BVD?

Binocular vision dysfunction is a misalignment of the eyes, making them unable to work together as a team.

While this might not sound serious, especially if the misalignment is only very slight, if the eyes aren’t paired in perfect synchronization, it can be difficult or even impossible for a person to function properly without becoming dizzy – even if their vision is clear.

Dizziness is only one of the many signs of BVD.

How is BVD related to anxiety?

If you suffer from BVD, your brain won’t be able to process and make sense of the incoming images your eyes are sending, often resulting in raised anxiety.

This occurs, particularly in a situation where a patient experiences an overload of visual stimuli. This could be because of the speed they are moving or because they are in a busy shopping place surrounded by noise and people.

As the brain tries to deal with the rush of information that doesn’t quite come together perfectly, the person may experience the various symptoms associated with binocular vision dysfunction.

These symptoms are largely similar, if not identical, to those experienced during an anxiety attack. Many people feel alone and isolated when they experience anxiety, particularly when it is a result of BVD.

Fortunately, there are treatment options available that can help patients to overcome the impact that BVD has on their lives.

If you think your anxiety is related to your vision, contact a vision therapy eye doctor near you.

How to Treat BVD

Vision therapy and prism lenses have been found to be a successful way to treat BVD.

Vision Therapy 

Patients with BVD are often treated with a customized program of vision therapy.

Vision therapy is a program to improve the communication between the brain and the eyes, further supporting the visual system and alleviating the symptoms of BVD.

Usually, patients find that their symptoms gradually subside or completely disappear by completing a vision therapy program.

Prism Lenses

Prismatic (prism) lenses, another proven way to alleviate BVD symptoms, work to correct the misalignment of the eyes by manipulating incoming light before it enters the eyes so that when the images from the two eyes reach the brain, the brain can combine them into a single image.

The prisms in the glasses ‘trick’ the brain into thinking the eyes are aligned properly, causing them to see just one object and preventing eye muscle strain.

Prism lenses are often combined with a vision therapy program, can significantly improve a patient’s life.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)

Contact a vision therapy eye doctor near you to start a vision therapy program to give your eyes the relief they deserve.

The post 2021 Update: BVD and Anxiety appeared first on Optometrists.org.

As vision is key to so many other systems, vision intervention, such as vision therapy, can have a profound effect on an autistic child.

If your child has been diagnosed with autism, contact an eye doctor near you, who can exam and strengthen your child’s visual skills.

SEE RELATED: Vision and Autism: Part 1

Benefits of vision therapy

Specific optical lenses, prisms, tints, and vision therapy are highly effective in treating patients on the autism spectrum.

The power of lenses and prisms should not be underestimated. The appropriately prescribed lenses and prisms can have immediate and profound effects on the total system and can contribute towards integrating the individual.

After a program of vision therapy, I routinely see immediate improvements in:

• Posture
• Language skills
• Eye hand and eye body coordination
• Visual skills

Often, I see a child that could not catch a ball, catch it easily, or one that did not speak, start engaging in conversation with the glasses on.

Signs vision therapy is needed

In addition to lenses and prisms, sometimes with or without tints, vision therapy is an important treatment for individuals with vision difficulties.

The most commonly observed signs, indicating that vision therapy could benefit a child include:

• Poor eye contact
• Repetitive hand movements
• Staring
• Side looking
• Light sensitivity
• Poor coordination
• Learning challenges

These above may be signs of inefficient or poorly developed visual skills.

A customized program of vision therapy provides the opportunity to develop these visual skills in a guided and therapeutic manner.

Examination of visual skills is essential

As an integrative optometrist, I recognize the impact a child’s functional visual skills has on their learning and enjoyment of every day tasks.

Assessment of the visual skills for all children on the autistism spectrum should include:

• Lazy eye
• Eye turns
• Focusing
• Eye teaming
• Eye tracking
• Convergence
• Stereopsis
• Visual processing

It is essential to assess vision in the context of nutrition, physical health, development, environmental and genetic factors, cognitive ability, motor, speech and language, and educational demands.

Autism and vision

Vision is a child’s dominant sense and much of the brain is dedicated to visual learning. 

The individual learns most efficiently in a multimodal fashion. That means that learning occurs best when inputs from different parts of the brain match.

In children with developmental delays, there is often a lack of cohesion between visual, auditory, and other inputs leading to the unusual behaviors, language, and socialization difficulties such as repetitive movements, echolalia or repeating words, and lack of eye contact.

Accurate assessment of the child in a vision examination includes looking at:

• Posture
• Balance
• Physical health
• Receptive and expressive speech patterns
• Cognitive understanding of the tasks given
• Motor coordination
• Attention and awareness

The functional vision examination gives essential information so that the appropriate intervention can be recommended.

LEARN MORE: Vision for Special Needs

If your child has been diagnosed with autism, contact an eye doctor near you, who can exam and strengthen your child’s visual skills.

The post Vision and Autism: Part 2 appeared first on Optometrists.org.

This year marks my 30th year as an optometrist and during all of those years I have seen thousands of children and adults on the spectrum from autism to learning disabilities.

I owe much of my early knowledge to Patty Lemer who introduced me to the Developmental Delay Registry, now reinvented as Epidemic Answers. I learned about the DAN! Network, Kelly Dorfman, Bernard Rimland, and Mel Kaplan’s work in the beginning of my career, even working for Mel primarily in the vision therapy room in the early 90’s.

If your child has been diagnosed with autism, contact an eye doctor near you, who can exam and strengthen your child’s visual skills.

SEE RELATED: Vision and Autism: Part 2

Autism by numbers

It is hard to believe that the rates of children diagnosed with autism in this country have grown from 1 in 2500 to almost 1 in 60!

We are looking at an epidemic that has dire consequences for our society.

We are guaranteed to come in contact with someone on the spectrum and Patty’s newest book, ‘Outsmarting Autism’, gives detailed and cutting edge ways to address factors associated with the exponential rise in autism rates and concrete treatment methods. Maria Rickert Hong’s book, ‘Almost Autism’, is also a good read for parents.

Autism and vision

Once a child has the appropriate support, I look at vision within the context of a multisensory model.

Vision is the dominant sense and much of the brain is dedicated to visual learning.

An individual learns most efficiently in a multimodal fashion. That means that learning occurs best when inputs from different parts of the brain match.

Learning occurs best when visual inputs match perspective inputs, for example, when we see an object and reach out to touch and feel it in the same place as where we saw it.

The same synchronicity of auditory and visual inputs occur when we see and hear something that matches. Think of the mismatch and confusion that happens when the soundtrack of a movie does not match the lip movements of the actors.

This sensory motor integration is critical for the proper development of a child.

In children with developmental delays, there is often a lack of cohesion between visual, auditory and other inputs leading to the unusual behaviors, language, and socialization difficulties such as:

• Repetitive movements
• Echolalia or repeating words
• Lack of eye contact

Accurate assessment of a child in a vision examination includes looking at posture, balance, physical health, receptive and expressive speech patterns, cognitive understanding of the tasks given, motor coordination, attention, and awareness.

The functional vision examination gives essential information so that the appropriate intervention can be recommended. 

The eye itself and how a child uses their vision can give clues on how to best treat the entire system.

Vision therapy for autism

Because vision is key to so many other systems, vision intervention, such as vision therapy, can have a profound effect on a child.

Specific optical lenses, prisms, tints, and vision therapy are highly effective in treating patients on the autism spectrum.

The most commonly observed signs indicating that vision therapy could benefit a child include:

• Poor eye contact
• Repetitive hand movements
• Staring
• Side looking
• Light sensitivity
• Poor coordination
• Learning challenges

A customized program of vision therapy provides the opportunity to develop these visual skills in a guided and therapeutic manner.

Examination of visual skills is essential

Determining the strength of the visual skills is a vital component of an eye examination for all children on the autism spectrum.

Children, especially, may be exposed to various stressors including biochemical, environmental, physical, social, educational and emotional challenges that impact development and learning.

Referral to health care practitioners can provide patients with the essential nutrition and recommendations to strengthen the immune system, balance hormones, and detoxify the body, from more traditional treatments to the latest ones which use more alternative medicine methodology.

It is essential to assess a child’s functional visual skills, as well as nutrition, physical health, development, environmental and genetic factors, cognitive ability, motor, speech and language, and their educational demands.

I am grateful for those who came before me and those colleagues that understand the importance of vision intervention in those on the spectrum.

LEARN MORE: Vision for Special Needs

If your child has been diagnosed with autism, contact an eye doctor near you, who can exam and strengthen your child’s visual skills.

The post Vision and Autism: Part 1 appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Poor visual skills can negatively impact performance in school, at the office, and on the sports field. Understanding and knowing what to look out for can help with early detection and treatment of visual problems.

Below are various visual efficiency problems and symptoms that are commonly diagnosed by eye doctors.

1. Eye teaming problems

Your two eyes need to work in perfect coordination and unison, in order to see the world in a clear and precise way. The images the brain creates may be confusing or uncomfortable when the eyes don’t function as a team.

Convergence excess and convergence insufficiency are two common eye teaming problems.

Convergence insufficiency refers to when the eyes have difficulty focusing inwards on an object that is being held closer to the nose. Convergence excess is the opposite, the eyes aren’t able to easily focus outward. This leads to difficulties with distance vision.

Symptoms of eye teaming problems include:

• Double or blurred vision
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty reading
• Eye rubbing or squinting
• Headaches
• Poor depth perception
• Tired or uncomfortable eyes

2. Eye tracking problems

Eye tracking involves effortless and smooth movements of the eyes. Proper eye tracking helps quickly gain information from and scan the environment around us to understand where we are and what our next move should be.

When eye movements are slower than normal, it may indicate an eye tracking problem. Three types of eye tracking problems are: deficiency or pursuits, deficiency of saccades, and fixation dysfunction.

Individuals with an eye tracking problem may:

• Have poor hand-eye coordination
• Easily lose their place while reading
• Often skip lines when reading
• Spelling difficulties
• Substitute or omit words

Contact an eye doctor who can help diagnose and treat any visual problems you may be experiencing. Vision therapy might be the solution you have been seeking.

SEE RELATED: How does Visual Efficiency affect Learning?

3. Focusing problems

Every time our eyes shift their gaze from one object to another, they accommodate their focusing power so that each object appears clear. When the muscles responsible for accommodating focus in the eye can’t relax, tighten or maintain position, focusing problems arise.

Symptoms of focusing problems can include:

• Avoiding or difficulty reading
• Blurred vision
• Blurred vision when shifting focus from one object to another
• Headaches during or after reading
• Holding objects close to the face in order to view them
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Watery eyes

Vision therapy can help

Vision therapy helps to strengthen and increase eye-brain connection, which is often weak in a person with visual efficiency problems.

A personalized vision therapy program involves custom-made visual exercises that create new pathways in the visual system. By regularly performing these exercises patient’s will develop improved visual skills and may notice a significant reduction in symptoms. Vision therapy may also involve the use of specialized lenses, filters, or prisms.

LEARN MORE: Guide to Vision Therapy

If you or a loved one experiences any of the symptoms mentioned above, contact an eye doctor near you to have your vision evaluated.

The post What Are Visual Efficiency Problems? appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Here are the top 5 myths and facts about cataracts.

Cataracts result from the buildup of protein on the eye’s normally clear  lens, they cause cloudy, blurry vision, decreased color perception and eventually vision loss.

Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness, affecting 20 million people worldwide. While most people have heard of cataracts,  misconceptions abound.

If you suspect you have cataracts, contact an eye doctor near you who can diagnose and manage this very common and sight-threatening eye condition.

SEE RELATED: When Should I Have Cataract Surgery?

Myth 1: Only older people get cataracts

Fact: People of all ages, even newborns, can have cataracts.

Cataracts are a natural part of the aging process, and therefore affect the elderly more often than younger people. However, eye trauma and certain medications can also lead to cataracts. Some babies may be born with cataracts.

Myth 2: Cataracts are growths within the eye

Fact: Cataracts aren’t growths; rather, they’re changes in the eye’s natural lens. 

Cataracts occur when the protein cells in the lens start to clump together and deteriorate, resulting in cloudiness. A person with cataracts will typically have cloudy vision with a yellow or brown tint.

Other symptoms associated with cataracts include:

• Double vision
• Halos around lights
• Colors are perceived as faded or yellowed
• Frequent changes in one’s lens prescription

If you have experienced any of the following symptoms, contact an eye doctor near you.

Myth 3: To treat or reverse cataracts, change your lifestyle 

Fact: The only way to cure a cataract is with surgery. 

The surgery removes the cataract and implants a new clear lens. While healthy lifestyle choices such as regularly exercising, getting enough sleep and eating well can impact eye health and your overall health, it cannot cure cataracts.

Myth 4: There is no way to prevent cataracts

Fact: While there is no clear cut way to prevent cataracts, wearing 100% UV blocking sunglasses outdoors can help. 

Another way to delay the onset of cataracts is to incorporate eye-healthy foods into your diet, like colorful vegetables and leafy greens.

Myth 5: If you have cataracts you need surgery right away 

Fact: You only need to have cataract surgery if your cataracts are interfering with your vision and impacting your lifestyle. 

If you are able to safely perform activities, such as driving at night, you don’t necessarily need surgery right away. Have your eye doctor monitor your cataracts to determine if there is any cataract-related vision loss.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Eye Conditions

The best way to manage cataracts is to schedule regular eye exams with an eye doctor who has experience diagnosing and managing cataracts.

The doctor will give you all the information you need to help you decide which treatment options are best for you.

The post Cataracts: Top 5 Myths and Facts  appeared first on Optometrists.org.

If your child has 20/20 vision, it doesn’t mean they don’t have vision problems that are making school difficult and undermining their academic success.

When children get a vision screening at school, it measures their visual acuity — how well they see — and it’s usually very limited. It does not assess the visual skills necessary for learning, reading, and even athletics.

If you think your child may have a vision problem, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible. 

The Find an Eye Doctor directory lists eye doctors near you that provide eye exams and vision therapy for children.

SEE RELATED: Vision Therapy for 20/20 Vision: Success Stories

What is 20/20 vision?

The term ‘20/20 vision’ only means that you can see clearly at 20 feet away.

Visual acuity is measured by the clarity or sharpness of vision at a distance.

20/20 does not mean ‘perfect vision’, as a child with ‘20/20’ sight can still have other vision problems affecting their visual skills.

There are actually 17 key visual skills, including depth perception, color vision, eye coordination, focusing ability, peripheral vision, to name a few. These contribute to your ability to successfully perform many routine tasks and activities — reading, writing, driving, playing sports, and more.

Additionally, while some people can see well at a distance, they may have difficulty seeing images that are near. Others can see near objects clearly, but have difficulty seeing distant objects.

Is a vision screening test enough to determine a vision problem?

It’s important to know while your child’s school may conduct vision screenings, these screenings are very limited as they only test for vision acuity, and not vision problems. However, some vision problems may be detected.

Vision screenings should not be a substitute for a comprehensive eye examination performed by an eye doctor.

The vision chart used for screenings does not measure how well your child’s eyes are working for reading, writing, homework, computer use, and all other activities or tasks that require your child to use their visual skills.

It is critical for parents to understand that relying solely on school vision screenings may cause many complications for a child. These screenings can only uncover some vision problems, such as severe lazy eye or myopia, but cannot effectively identify most of the visual problems experienced by children.

A comprehensive eye exam at an eye doctor is the only effective measure of ocular and visual health. When vision problems are not detected in childhood, they can significantly affect a person throughout their life.

Vision problems can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or a program of vision therapy.

Signs of a vision problem

Parents and teachers should be aware of how to identify a vision problem.

The most common signs include:

• Bumping into objects
• Difficulty catching a ball
• Fatigue or headaches following prolonged near-vision tasks
• Frequently rubbing, closing or covering one eye
• Poor handwriting
• Reading avoidance
• Skipping words or lines while reading a text
• Squinting or tilting their head
• Struggling to remain focused
• Using a finger to keep their place while reading

When to see an eye doctor

If your child shows any of the above signs of a vision problem, it is important to schedule a comprehensive eye exam so their eye doctor can check their functional vision as soon as possible.

A functional vision problem can impact learning, athletics and even self-esteem. Identifying the vision problem and treating it early on can significantly reduce its effects.

Vision therapy is known to be a highly effective treatment for reduced functional vision. The aim of vision therapy is to strengthen the communication between the brain and the eyes to improve the visual skills and enable clear and comfortable vision.

Vision therapy can help your child to develop the visual skills necessary to succeed in school, sports, and all aspects of life.

LEARN MORE:   Vision Therapy for Children

Schedule a functional vision evaluation with an optometrist experienced in children’s vision and vision therapy, and give your child the chance to achieve success— both inside and outside the classroom.

The post Could a Child with ‘20/20 Sight’ Have a Vision Problem? appeared first on Optometrists.org.