How does Neuro-Developmental / Behavioural Optometry & Vision Therapy work?

Our eyes need to be able to work accurately together as well as focus and move correctly. For this to happen, multiple muscles need to work together, 4 for focus and 12 for movement. 3 cranial nerves are involved in the instruction of these muscles.  Any imbalance among them can cause stress to the visual system resulting in symptoms such as intermittent blurring or double vision, shadowing of print, text appearing to move or letters running together.

 

The efficiency/accuracy of the eyes working together as a team can only partly be assessed within a short NHS sight test. A person may be able to surmount signs of visual stress during a short eye test, reading the small targets with ease for the 10 seconds that they are asked to read the small print. Whether this can be sustained over 10 minutes, half an hour or an hour is a different question and not always the case. Neuro-Developmental / Behavioural Optometry is the sub speciality in the profession that has emerged to address this.

 

As a Neuro-Developmental Optometrist, I will conduct a detailed investigation of all the crucial areas of vision for learning. This includes looking at efficient eye movement, teamwork and focussing control as well as the way the brain interprets what is being seen and how it connects that to body action and movement. In addition to leaning, this can also affect hand-eye coordination (handwriting/catching a ball), judging distances and navigating space so as not to bump into things or clumsiness.

 

Any deficient skills found will be developed with an individualised training programme and possibly use of glasses. This will vastly improve the visual system and usually has a positive effect not only on learning but also on self-confidence and overall happiness.

What I offer:

 

A full Neuro-Developmental / Behavioural vision assessment takes 90-120 minutes and looks in depth at the following points:

  • Careful assessment for glasses prescription

  • Eye Teaming – convergence/depth perception

  • Eye Focusing – accommodation

  • Eye Movements – saccades & pursuits

  • Peripheral and spatial awareness

  • Retained Primitive Reflexes (can significantly impact eye movement and ability to concentrate)

  • Laterality (ability to know right from left which often is poor when children show letter/number reversals)

  • Use of coloured filters if indicated

 

After the assessment I will discuss the best ways of treatment for the issues found. Most commonly this will involve vision therapy.

 

 

Your committment needed: 

 

 

If Vision Therapy is indicated, you will be invited to sign up for a personalised therapy programme. This is delivered through a combination of online therapy and in person progress reviews. You will be given access to the therapy exercises on a dedicated online platform. You will be assigned a personalised course of exercises that builds up the required skill gradually and systematically. For best results these exercises will need to be practiced on a daily basis. The time commmitment needed is approximately 10 minutes of focussed work per day.

Progress assessment appointments take place depending on severity of presentation either monthly or every two or three months. We will be able to advise on this on completion of the assessment.

 

A course of Vision Therapy usually takes between 6-12 months to rectify the deficient areas in the visual system. However, if well engaged in the programme, first benefits will be felt after the initial few sessions already.