Vision Therapy in Spartanburg

Although all optometrists are trained in vision therapy principles during school, not all optometrists offer vision therapy in their office. At Bella Vision, we offer a variety of vision therapy treatments. Contact us today to learn more!

Neuro-optometric vision therapy varies depending on the individual patient’s visual condition(s), the severity level of their eye problem(s), and the patient’s ability to participate in or complete training activities. Two patients may have the same diagnosis but may have completely different levels of severity, which can change the treatment plan. While general principles of vision therapy are the same overall, it is a dynamic therapy program that is tailored to each individual patient and can vary by location and treatment.

Neuro-optometric vision therapy is not just for children! Patients of all ages can benefit from vision therapy.

Vision therapy works on the basis of the ability of the human brain to change, adapt, and grow throughout an individual’s life. With vision therapy we can make positive changes in our visual system at any age.

Yes! Today’s classrooms are more dynamic than ever, which require higher visual demands. Take a look around your child’s classroom; there are smart screens everywhere. We cannot assume that each child sees and processes information exactly the same way.

If you have concerns about whether your child has a vision-related learning problem, a good starting place is to schedule a comprehensive children’s eye exam.

Relying only on visual acuity tests, such as those done at school and by family doctors, is limiting because it only gives us information about the clarity of letters. Visual acuity tests don’t tell us if a child uses both eyes together equally, has adequate eye focusing skills, proper depth perception, or good visual perception. Only a comprehensive children’s eye exam can help determine if a child’s vision is adequate.

If there is suspicion of an attention or behavior problem, we recommend starting with a comprehensive children’s eye exam first to rule out any vision problems. Many vision-related learning symptoms sound similar to ADD/ADHD:

• having difficulty remembering what has been read
• re-reading, using a finger to keep place while reading
• skipping lines of text
• reading slowly
• losing concentration
• avoidance of near work

Children and adults that have vision-related learning problems can have various symptoms. Avoidance is one that is often overlooked. If a child is having difficulty reading, or they have to exert great effort to do so, then a common reaction is just to avoid the task. It can make the child look like they don’t care or like they have attention (ADD/ADHD) problems when in fact, it’s blurry and/or doubled when they are reading. Children especially don’t have a reference point, so if they are experiencing visual problems, they often think it is normal.

Each patient is different and may or may not experience some or all of these symptoms. Through neuro-optometric vision therapy, these symptoms can be greatly reduced or eliminated entirely.

• Headaches
• Blurred vision or double vision
• Words moving on the page
• Having difficulty remembering what has been read or losing concentration
• Re-reading
• Using a finger to keep place
• Skipping lines of text
• Reading slowly
• Eyes that feel tired or hurt when reading
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Closing or covering an eye
• Confusing letters or words, or reversing letters or words
• Moving head while reading
• Car/motion sickness

Glasses and contact lenses are mainly used in order to improve visual acuity. If the problem is more complex, as with patients with poor eye alignment, eye teaming, or eye focusing, lenses may not complete alleviation symptoms. We use lenses as much as we can to improve how the visual system functions. From there, further testing may be needed to see if in-office vision therapy can benefit the patient.

Book a comprehensive eye exam to learn how Bella Vision can help your vision condition.

Surgical intervention should be approached on a case-by-case basis only, and with caution. In cases of strabismus (eye turn), if the eyes are surgically operated on in order to correct eye alignment, the brain does not know that the eyes have been moved. The brain in all its complexities is what ultimately controls the eyes, which is why vision therapy can be so effective in these cases. We give the patient the tools they need in order to understand how they are using their eyes together, which provides the best long-term results.

Book a comprehensive eye exam to learn how Bella Vision can help your vision condition.

Absolutely. In cases of concussion and other various acquired brain injuries, optometric vision therapy can help reduce visual symptoms that are common after the incident. Even if there is no visible damage to the brain on MRI, there can be long-lasting effects that can affect the patient’s daily life. Common symptoms of a concussion or brain injury include:

• blurred vision
• double vision
• difficulty adjusting focus
• headaches
• difficulty processing and recalling information
• poor reading comprehension

No matter the cause of the head injury, vision therapy can be very effective.

Each patient’s response to vision therapy is unique depending on their individual diagnosis. After testing is completed, a treatment plan is discussed and put in place. After vision therapy has started, patients can start seeing results in as little as 8–10 weeks. There are no limitations to the progress one can make during the course of therapy.

Once a neuro-optometric vision therapy treatment program is complete, there is very little regression as the patient now understands how to use their visual system. It gives the patient the tools they need in order to use their visual system to the best of their ability.

Typically, visual rehabilitation services are not covered by insurance. While our office does not file insurance for vision therapy, we can assist our patients during the process of requesting reimbursements from insurance companies.