Most baby’s eyes are assessed by a neonatologist within a few days after birth.

Undetected vision problems could affect your baby’s abilities to interact with the environment around them and result in learning or reading delays.

Studies show that up to half of all infants in their first 2 years have astigmatism and long-sightedness.

Here are some answers to questions related to babies and their vision.

#1 Does my baby need eye exams?

Yes, all babies should have their first eye exam at 6 months of age, even if no visual problems are suspected. The most common vision problems in babies and toddlers are farsightedness and astigmatism.

Up to 5% of all infants have amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (eye turn).

#2 What does my baby see?

When babies open their eyes, their vision is fixed at about 12 inches (30 cm). This allows them to see their mother’s face and learn to recognize the source of their food.

At about six weeks a baby’s eyes should be able to follow objects, at about 1-2 meters away and by four months the eyes should work together.

Over the first year or two, a baby’s vision develops rapidly. A two-year-old typically sees around 20/30 vision, nearly the same as an adult.

#3 How can I help my baby’s visual development?

There are many things a parent can do to help their baby’s vision develop. The following are a few examples of age-appropriate activities that can help with an infant’s visual development.

From birth to 4 months;

• Place soft toys within your baby’s focus (up to 12 inches)
• Use a dim lamp or nightlight in your baby’s room
• Feed from alternate left and right breasts
• Talk softly from 12-24 inches away

From 5 to 8 months;

• Encourage floor play and exploration
• Use crib mobile for the baby to grab, pull and kick
• Stimulate grabbing and touching soft objects

From 9 to 12 months;

• Encourage crawling and creeping
• Play hide-and-seek games with toys

As a baby’s eyes are constantly changing, it’s important to get their eyes checked at 6 months and again at 2-3 years of age.

If you notice anything unusual, such as an eye turn, it is important to see an optometrist with experience in babies.

Schedule an eye exam with an eye doctor near you who can discuss your baby’s visual development and ensure they are meeting their milestones.

The post Does my Baby have a Vision Problem? appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Studies of eye clinic records suggest that children with autism (ASD) and other special needs are prone to serious vision problems.

Journal of AAPOS, 2019

Recent publication of Journal of AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus) showed among 2,555 children at a University of California Davis’ eye clinic that:

• 71% of children with ASD had a visual problem, of these:
  • 42% had significant refractive error
  • 32% had strabismus (eye turn)
  • 19% had amblyopia (lazy eye)

The most common vision problems experienced by children with ASD include strabismus (eye turn), in which the eyes are misaligned, and amblyopia (lazy eye), in which poor vision in one or both eyes results from issues in the early stages of visual development.

If your child has autism and you find they have vision problems, the Find an Eye Doctor directory lists eye doctors near you that are experienced in treating children with autism.

SEE RELATED: Vision and Autism: Part 1

Autism and vision problems

Over 7 out 10 individuals with autism experience vision problems.

Visual symptoms of autism can include:

• Difficulty maintaining eye contact
• Fleeting peripheral glances
• Side viewing
• Staring at spinning objects or light
• Reduce visual attention span

People with autism often use visual information inefficiently.

Visual issues can include coordinating their peripheral and central vision, this is usually displayed by having difficulty or the inability to follow an object with their eyes.

These children tend to scan or look off to the side of an object, instead of looking directly at the object and might also have difficulty maintaining visual attention.

Crossed eyes, lazy eye and eye movement disorders are common in children on the autistic spectrum.

Poor integration of peripheral and central vision

Those with autism are found to ignore peripheral vision and remain fixated on a central point of focus for long periods of time.

When there is poor integration of peripheral and central vision it can lead to difficulties in integrating and processing visual information in individuals with autism. When visual processing is interrupted cognitive, speech, motor, and perceptual abilities can also be affected.

Hypersensitive vision

It is known that many people with autism are visually defensive.

Visually defensive people might have hypersensitive vision and avoid contact with specific visual inputs. They have a hard time visually “holding still” and frequently rely on a constant scanning of visual information.

Vision exams for people with autism

As every person’s eyes are different. The way a person’s eyes are evaluated will vary depending on their individual levels of physical and emotional development.

Evaluation of the visual skills are vital to understand the functioning of the eyes and visual system, to determine if vision therapy could provide significant benefit.

Specific testing of the visual system is often done while the patient performs specific activities while wearing special lenses. For example, observing a patient’s postural compensation and adaptations will be made as they walk, sit, stand, or catch and throw a ball.

These tests help to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the visual system  and determine the best way forward to improve the quality of life.

Treatment of visual problems

The results of the vision exam can help determine if specific optical lenses are needed to compensate for farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism.

Vision therapy

Vision therapy is a successful process to help treat vision issues for those with autism and special needs. The activities in a vision therapy program can be used to stimulate general eye movements, visual arousal, and the central visual system.

The goal of vision therapy is to help autistic individuals to:

• gain peripheral stability
• gain more efficient eye coordination
• organize visual space
• attend to and appreciate central vision
• improve visual information processing

If your child has autism and you find they have vision problems, the Find an Eye Doctor directory lists eye doctors near you that are experienced in treating children with autism.

LEARN MORE: Vision for Special Needs

If you think vision therapy will help your autistic child, contact an eye doctor near you to get your child’s eyes tested and to discuss the best treatment options to improve their quality of life.

The post 2021 Update: Autism (ASD) and Vision appeared first on Optometrists.org.

You may easily find answers to your questions below. If you still have questions, contact your nearest eye doctor experienced in children’s vision.

Over 2.5 billion children have vision problems, yet 80% of those are preventable.

A comprehensive eye exam will assess not only a child’s vision, but can also detect problems with their eye health and general health.

Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you for a comprehensive eye exam to ensure your child has healthy vision and to check for eye diseases and other health problems.

SEE RELATED: Does your Child have a Learning Difficulty?

Here are some frequently asked questions related to pediatric eye health:

1. How regularly should children visit an eye doctor?

The American Optometric Association and the American Public Health Association recommend that children have their first eye exam at 6-12 months of age.

After their first eye exam your optometrist will let you know when their next exam is due. At a minimum, they should return for an eye exam every 1-2 years.

Once a child starts school, they should have  a comprehensive eye exam once a year, or as recommended by their eye doctor.

2. Is a school vision screening sufficient for my child?

No.

School vision screenings are insufficient since they are only intended to detect a few vision problems, such as myopia (nearsightedness).

A thorough eye exam, on the other hand, allows an eye doctor to evaluate a child’s vision and eye health, as well as visual skills like focusing and eye tracking. Since a child’s visual skills are important to their academic success, eye doctors suggest that children have a comprehensive eye exam before starting school and every year after that.

Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you to have your child’s vision checked.

3. How does vision play a role when children are diagnosed as dyslexic or learning disabled?

Not every child who has been diagnosed with a learning disability and/or ADHD actually has one or both of these conditions.

Undiagnosed vision problems sometimes present with the same signs and symptoms as dyslexia and attention disorders.

Of course, children with dyslexia, ADHD, and other conditions can experience vision problems at the same time. When children’s vision issues are addressed, they also find it easier to learn.

It is estimated that 25% of school-aged children have an undiagnosed vision problem that could interfere with learning.

4. At what age can a child wear contact lenses?

There is no set age when a child may begin wearing contact lenses. In fact, 4 million children under the age of 18 in the United States wear contacts.

Contact lenses are particularly well suited for children after the age of 8 years.

Many children love wearing contacts especially for active or sports-loving children, and they are an excellent treatment choice for children with myopia.

They may be prescribed for children as young as six months old due to congenital cataracts or other infant eye disorders.

5. My child keeps breaking their glasses. Are there effective long-lasting glasses for children?

There is a wide selection of frames for children that are specifically built to be flexible and withstand a sufficient amount of mechanical stress.

Some children, on the other hand, can manage to break, bend, or damage their glasses, that is why having a spare pair of glasses is advised.

Early vision care can help your child reach their full learning potential.

LEARN MORE: Vision for School

Schedule an eye exam with an eye doctor near you to ensure your child’s vision remains clear and healthy.

The post Children’s Vision: FAQs appeared first on Optometrists.org.

During a child’s early years it’s crucial to care for their eyes, which are rapidly growing and developing.

Diagnosing eye problems early can help minimize potential damage and makes treatment faster and more effective.

That’s why parents should know about the most common pediatric eye problems and their symptoms.

1. Refractive errors

The 3 most common refractive errors found in children are astigmatism (irregularly curved cornea), myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). These conditions prevent light from focusing on the correct part of the retina, causing blurred vision.

Signs to watch for:

• Frequent squinting or head tilting
• Headache or eye strain after a child performs visually demanding activities
• Holding books or digital screens very close to the face
• Sitting very close to the computer or television

2. Amblyopia

Also known as lazy eye, amblyopia occurs when one eye is weaker than the other and doesn’t achieve normal visual acuity or function.

Amblyopia is difficult to diagnose since the child relies on their ‘good’ eye and may be unaware of their problem.

Signs to watch for:

• Difficulty reading/doing math/playing sports
• Difficulty with attention and focus
• Frequently closing one eye
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Head tilting
• Squinting

If you notice any of these signs in your child, contact an eye doctor near you.

3. Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD)

BVD is caused by the two eyes not working together, due to a misalignment between the two eyes.

Signs to watch for:

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

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

4. Convergence insufficiency

Convergence insufficiency is a binocular vision condition that affects eye muscle coordination and near vision. It occurs when the eyes aren’t able to effectively work together to focus on a near object.

Signs to watch for:

• Attention and concentration difficulties
• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Fatigue, especially when reading
• Headaches
• Homework avoidance
• Motion sickness or vertigo
• Reading below grade level
• Seeing words move or jump on the page

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

SEE RELATED: What Is Myopia?

5. Nystagmus

Nystagmus is a congenital or acquired condition characterized by quick, involuntary back-and-forth eye movements. Congenital nystagmus appears in the first few months of life, while acquired nystagmus appears after 6 months.

Signs to watch for: Eyes that repetitively and rapidly move from side to side, up and down, or in a circle.

6. Pediatric cataracts

Adults aren’t the only ones affected by cataracts.

An estimated 20,000-40,000 children are born with cataracts each year worldwide.

Cataracts occur when the usually clear lens of one or both eyes becomes clouded. It’s possible that a cataract can impair vision, depending on its position and intensity.

Signs to watch for:

• Difficulty recognizing faces and seeing objects
• Eyes that point in different directions
• Gray or white-colored pupil
• Nystagmus

7. Strabismus 

Strabismus occurs when the eyes are turned, misaligned or “crossed.” If left untreated, it can lead to amblyopia and permanent vision loss.

An eye turn might be noticed soon after birth or even suddenly appear at about two years of age.

Signs to watch for:

• An eye that points inward, outward, upward or downward
• Excessive and frequent squinting, especially in bright light
• Head tilting, in an effort to align the eyes

Vision therapy can help

Vision therapy consists of personalized exercises aimed at developing visual skills so the eyes, visual system and brain are communicating correctly.

If your child is diagnosed with any of the above eye conditions, your eye doctor will likely recommend a personalized program of vision therapy.

LEARN MORE: Guide to Pediatric Eye Conditions

Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam, and to discuss any questions you may have about treating your child’s eye condition.

Diagnosing eye problems in your child early can help minimize potential damage and allows treatment to be faster and more effective.

The post 7 Common Pediatric Eye Conditions  appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Are looking for published research on VT?

Provided below are just a few references for published research articles on vision therapy and its effectiveness for the treatment of many vision conditions.

1. Clinical Trial of Treatments for Convergence Insufficiency in Children

Conclusion: Office-based vision therapy is an effective treatment for children with Convergence Insufficiency.

Published by: Mitchell Scheiman, OD; Susan Cotter, OD, MS; G. Lynn Mitchell, MAS; Marjean Kulp, OD, MS; Michael Rouse, OD, MEd; Richard Hertle, MD; and Maryann Redford, DDS, MPH. ‘Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial (CITT) Study Group. A randomized clinical trial of treatments for convergence insufficiency in children. Archives of Ophthalmology 2005’; 123:14-24.

2. Best Treatment Determined for Childhood Eye Problem

Conclusion: 75 percent of the children who had weekly office-based vision therapy experienced significant improvement in their convergence in 12 weeks.

Published by: Mayo Clinic: ‘Best Treatment Determined for Childhood Eye Problem’ : Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency with Vision Therapy.

3. Effective Treatment Identified for Common Childhood Vision Disorder

Conclusion: Vision Therapy is effective treatment for a common childhood eye coordination problem called convergence insufficiency.

Published by: National Eye Institute, ‘More Effective Treatment Identified for Common Childhood Vision Disorder’: Evidence-Based Treatment for Convergence Insufficiency

4. Effective Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency (CI)

Summary: Although CI is quite common, with reported rates of prevalence ranging up to 13%, this pilot study by Scheiman and colleagues does move forward our understanding of the treatment of this disorder.

Published by: Kushner Burton J. ‘The Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency. Archives of Ophthalmology 2005’, 123:100-101. Complete article – PDF version

If you feel you or your child could benefit from Vision Therapy, schedule an appointment with a vision therapy eye doctor and they will answer all your questions.

SEE RELATED: Guide to Vision Therapy

5. Study Reveals Developmental Mechanisms of Eye Movement

Conclusion: Genes linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and other developmental brain abnormalities, may be playing a role in people who cannot control their eye movements.

Published by: National Eye Institute: Autism and Eye Movements, 2019: Autism linked to Eye Movement Control

6. The Amblyopia Treatment Studies: Implications for Clinical Practice

Conclusion: Patching times for amblyopia can be reduced and still achieve a similar visual improvement.

Published by:  Angela M. Chen, Susan A. Cotter: Adv Ophthalmol Optom. 2016 Aug’ The Amblyopia Treatment Studies: Implications for Clinical Practice’; Amblyopia Treatment Studies.

7. Vision, Learning, and Dyslexia

Summary: A policy statement that addresses important issues regarding the identification and treatment process for individuals with learning-related vision problems and dyslexia.

A Joint Organizational Policy Statement of the American Academy of Optometry and the American Optometric Association. ‘Vision, Learning, and Dyslexia’. 1997. Complete article – PDF version

8. Research on the Efficacy of Vision Therapy for Specific Visual Dysfunctions

Finding: Optometric and ophthalmological research supports the efficacy of vision therapy for treatment of the visual dysfunctions discussed in this article.

Published by: Cooper, Jeffrey. Summary of Research on the Efficacy of Vision Therapy for Specific Visual Dysfunctions. Adapted from The Journal of Behavioral Optometry 1998; 9(5):115-119. Complete article – PDF version

9. A Joint Organizational Policy Statement of the American Academy of Optometry and the American Optometric Association

Summary: A policy statement describing the goals of a vision therapy program, and its effectiveness for treatment of a wide variety of vision conditions.

LEARN MORE: Guide to Vision Therapy

A Joint Organizational Policy Statement of The American Academy of Optometry and the American Optometric Association. ‘Vision Therapy: Information for Health Care and Other Allied Professionals’. 1999. Complete article – PDF version

The post 2021 Update: Vision Therapy Research appeared first on Optometrists.org.

For many decades, it has been thought that only children under the age of 10 could be successfully treated for amblyopia (lazy eye). In other words, lazy eye treatment was usually not provided to children older than nine.

However, the National Eye Institute (NEI) recently funded a study that found that lazy eye can be successfully treated at least up to age 17 and even adults!

Now, lazy eye can be effectively treated in high school and college student and even adults!

What is lazy eye?

Lazy eye, also known as amblyopia, is a neuro-developmental vision condition that is caused when one eye is unable to achieve normal visual acuity or does not allow the full development of 3D vision.

A lazy eye typically affects the vision or visual function of the affected eye, causing blurred vision which contributes to poor depth perception and binocular vision.

Amblyopia may develop due to other vision conditions such as a wandering or crossed eye (strabismus), or unequal vision in the two eyes caused by nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.

Contact an eye doctor near you who can diagnose and treat your lazy eye.

Symptoms of lazy eye

Common symptoms of lazy eye:

• One or both eyes may wander inward or outward
• Both eyes may not seem to be working together
• Poor depth perception
• Squinting or shutting one eye in order to see
• Tilting one’s head in order to see
• Frequent eye strain, eye fatigue, or headaches

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact an eye doctor near you who diagnoses and treats lazy eye.

Schedule an appointment with a vision therapy eye doctor to help improve your visual skills.

SEE RELATED: New Research for Adults with Lazy Eye

Are eye exams important?

Yes, frequent eye exams are essential as the earlier a lazy eye is detected, the higher the chances of successful treatment.

In many cases, amblyopia is detectable during a comprehensive eye exam. In addition, if there is a family history of lazy eye, it is crucial that your eyes be examined regularly, as lazy eye can be an inherited condition.

Specific tests are used during eye exams to assess both the visual acuity and the visual skills of each eye. This enables your eye doctor to diagnose a condition such as lazy eye.

Adult lazy eye treatment

For many years it was believed that amblyopia was only treatable in children, often those who are 10 years of age or younger. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. While every patient is different, many adults can see results from amblyopia treatment.

The visual system which consists of the brain, eyes, and visual pathways, can be retrained due to the brain’s plasticity.

For amblyopia, specifically, binocular vision needs to be retrained, as this is the root cause behind a lazy eye. 

With poor binocular vision the two images that the eyes see cannot be combined into one single image, but due to the plasticity of the brain, this does not have to be permanent.

While treatment is most effective when it’s given at an early age, it is still possible at any age to retrain the visual system, restore binocular vision, and correct amblyopia.

Lazy eye and vision therapy

Vision therapy is an effective treatment method for amblyopia. It has been shown to greatly improve the visual skills of the lazy eye by re-training the visual system.

Through vision therapy, the two eyes will be trained to work together to achieve clear and comfortable binocular vision.

Some vision therapy programs that treat amblyopia work to improve these visual skills:

• Accommodation (focusing)
• Fixation (visual gaze)
• Pursuits (eye tracking)
• Saccades (switching eye focus, “eye jumps”)
• Spatial skills (eye-hand coordination)
• Stereopsis (3-D vision)

LEARN MORE: Guide to Vision Therapy for Adults

Schedule an eye exam and vision evaluation for a proper diagnosis of lazy eye and to discuss whether a vision therapy program is the appropriate treatment for you.

The post 2021 Update: Lazy Eye and Adults appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Once an adult starts to notice the results of vision therapy with their own eyes they realize how beneficial it can be for them, motivating them to improve even further.

What is vision therapy?

Vision therapy is a personalized program of a series of progressive therapeutic eye exercises that help patients improve their visual skills.

The improved visual skills are as a result of enhanced communication between their eyes and the brain. It is an individual and custom-designed treatment program, often used in conjunction with other treatments such as eyeglasses or eye surgery.

Is vision therapy effective for adults?

Many people mistakenly believe that vision therapy is just for children. However, vision therapy is just as effective for adults as it is for children.

Adults can succeed with vision therapy thanks to neuro-plasticity — the brain’s ability to modify, change, and adapt.

Thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain remains dynamic and flexible throughout life. Additionally, adults are usually highly motivated to improve their visual skills, giving them the energy and determination to push through any difficult obstacles and improve their office performance.

Vision therapy can treat a variety of vision conditions:

• Amblyopia (lazy eye)
• Convergence insufficiency (eye teaming)
• Strabismus (eye turn)

Lazy eye and vision therapy

Amblyopia, commonly known as a “lazy eye,” is a neuro-developmental vision condition. Lazy eye develops when one eye is unable to achieve normal visual acuity, causing blurry vision in the affected eye, even with corrective eyewear. The condition also commonly presents with poor depth perception and reading difficulties.

Vision therapy has been shown to considerably improve lazy eye, even in Adults, by re-training the visual system.

Vision therapy for adults can be very effective, but tends to take longer to achieve optimum results. Ultimately, adults can often train their eyes to work together to achieve clear and comfortable binocular vision.

Vision therapy programs may include treatment for:

• Accommodation (focusing)
• Pursuits (eye tracking)
• Fixation (visual gaze)
• Saccades (switching eye focus, “eye jumps”)
• Stereopsis (3-D vision)
• Spatial skills (eye-hand coordination)

Schedule an appointment with a vision therapy eye doctor to help improve your visual skills.

SEE RELATED: New Research for Adults with Lazy Eye

Convergence insufficiency and vision therapy

Convergence insufficiency (CI) is a binocular vision condition that can affect adults.

Convergence insufficiency affects eye muscle and near vision coordination. Convergence of the eyes occurs when the two eyes need to focus on a close object, such as a book or computer. Convergence insufficiency means the eyes struggle to focus for near tasks like reading and writing, affecting attention to tasks and work performance`.

Vision therapy is the most effective treatment for CI, as standard eyeglasses, contact lenses, medications, and surgery cannot treat the condition.

In many cases, your eye doctor will prescribe prismatic (prism) glasses in combination with vision therapy, as they decrease some CI symptoms. Although prism eyeglasses can relieve symptoms, they are not a “cure” and the patient typically remains dependent on the prism lenses.

Vision therapy focuses on training the eyes to work together to improve depth perception, clear binocular vision and 3-D vision. The goal of vision therapy is to stimulate the communication between the eyes and brain, to enable clear and comfortable vision at all times.

Treatment exercises for CI may include:

• Depth perception practice
• Focusing for near and distance
• Eye tracking with pursuits and saccades
• Training with computerized technology
• Specialized equipment and tools such as prisms and lenses

Eye turns (strabismus) and vision therapy

Strabismus occurs when the two eyes are unable to focus together on one object and maintain proper alignment — one eye looks directly at the object, while the other eye points in a different direction. Strabismus does not go away on its own.

Vision therapy can a highly effective treatment for adults with eye turns and strabismus. 

A vision therapy program for strabismus can help improve:

• Binocular vision
• Eye alignment
• Eye focusing
• Eye teaming
• Eye movements
• Visual processing

A vision therapy program for strabismus may include therapeutic lenses, prisms and filters. Vision therapy involves ocular muscle training as well as training and development of the eye-brain connections required for clear and comfortable vision — resulting in a lasting cure.

A vision therapy program is sometimes recommended by your eye doctor after strabismus surgery in order to re-train the visual system. It is important to treat strabismus as early as possible, as the eye turn may be a result of a serious health issue.

LEARN MORE: Vision Therapy for Lazy Eye

 Schedule a vision therapy evaluation to discuss whether a vision therapy program is the appropriate treatment for you.

Vision therapy might just be the solution you have been looking for.

The post 2021 Update: Vision Therapy for Adults 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.

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When you go for your comprehensive eye exam your eye doctor will most likely dilate your eyes with atropine eye drops. But did you know that they can be used to treat eye conditions as well?

SEE RELATED: Are Eye Drops Confusing?

What does atropine do?

Atropine sulfate is an antimuscarinic agent used as a cycloplegic and mydriatic. The eye drops are used in the treatment of iritis and uveitis to immobilize the iris and ciliary muscle and to prevent or break down adhesions inside the eye.

This eye drop is also used to diagnose eye problems such as blurred vision (refraction) in children below 6 years and children with cross-eye, especially convergent strabismus.

Atropine eye drops widen the pupil and relax the muscles that enable the eyes to focus, allowing eye doctors to provide more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment options.

The effects of the drops are temporary and the eye returns to normal when the drops wear off.

When you schedule an eye exam the eye doctor can explain why atropine is used during a comprehensive eye exam, including treating certain eye conditions.

What can atropine treat?

Atropine eye drops contain atropine sulfate, which widens the pupil and relaxes the muscles that allow the eyes to focus. This eye drop is also used in the treatments, including;

• Myopia management
• Lazy eyes
• Eye inflammation

Myopia management

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a common eye condition where close up objects appear clear, but faraway objects appear blurry.

In recent years, to slow the progression of myopia, low-doses of atropine eye drops in 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.05% concentrations have been found as an effective treatment option.

Lazy eye treatment

Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, causes one eye to significantly weaken. Atropine drops relax the muscle in the stronger eye, causing that eye to have blurred vision.

Research has shown that using atropine eye drops to blur the better-seeing eye can improve the vision in the lazy eye by helping to force the lazy eye to work harder. Children sometimes prefer to have an eye drop once a day rather than wearing an eye patch for several hours a day.

Ocular inflammation

Another eye condition that atropine drops are used to treat is inflammation in the eye. The eye drops are used in the treatment of iritis and uveitis to immobilize the iris and ciliary muscle and to prevent or break down adhesions inside the eye.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Eye Conditions

If you or your child have any of the above eye conditions, schedule an eye doctor appointment to find out if atropine drops are a treatment option for you.

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