Vision Therapy

Strabismus occurs when both eyes cannot look at the same object at the same time. Sometimes this results in a “crossed-eyes” appearance. This issue typically occurs because of reduced binocular integration skills and an underlying visual processing deficit. It can also happen due to traumatic muscle injury, though this is far less common.

Amblyopia, often referred to as a “lazy eye,” is reduced vision in one or both eyes which cannot be corrected with glasses alone. Suppression happens when the brain ignores the visual input from one eye. It can occur either in conjunction with amblyopia or strabismus or on its own. Amblyopia and suppression have several causes, including reduced binocular integration skills and visual processing deficits.

Eye-tracking deficits, or oculomotor dysfunction, occurs when individuals have trouble controlling their eye movements. Individuals with eye-tracking deficits have trouble following moving targets, moving from one target to another, and staying fixated on one target.

Eye-tracking deficits can occur at any age, and can impact a patient’s ability to read. It can also affect a person’s ability to play sports, accurately perceive depth perception, and stay balanced.

Think of visual perception as gathering information, and visual processing as the rate at which we can process what our eyes are telling us.

If an individual is having trouble with one or both of these skills, they may have trouble with tasks like using visual learning material, participating in sports, and driving. Having deficits in visual perception and processing skills would require one to slow down, taking longer to both intake and use information presented visually.

There are many aspects of visual processing that can be damaged during brain injuries, from the ability to track moving objects to efficiently and comfortably processing peripheral vision.

Some common symptoms of visual processing deficits following brain injuries include light sensitivity, general fatigue, difficulty reading or concentrating, discomfort with computer and screen use, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.