VISION AND SPORTS THERAPY -
A New Outlook
Many individuals show 20/20 eyesight on wall chart tests yet still have reading, coordination, or other vision-related problems. This may be due to underdeveloped vision skills. In such cases, vision therapy can help by sharpening vision skills and improving basic eye movements. The therapy is designed to rehabilitate and enhance visual performance.

   At Vision Park Family Eye Care, careful testing is done to determine whether or not vision therapy would be helpful. The therapy is an involved process that requires personal interest and motivation, but the results make the effort worthwhile. Vision therapy continually yields measurable improvements in school, sports and overall performance for children with vision-related disorders and athletes seeking a competitive edge.

Vision consists of a set of skills of which 20/20 eyesight is only one. Other necessary skills include:

Tracking	Moving the eyes smoothly across a printed page or while following a moving object and being able to quickly and accurately locate & inspect a series of stationary objects.
Focusing	The ability to sustain clarity at the nearpoint as well as looking quickly from far to near and back without blur.
Eye Teaming or Binocularity	Using both eyes together as a team - smoothly, equally and accurately.
Depth Perception	Quickly and accurately judging the distance and speeds of objects - such as catching a fly ball in baseball.
Eye / Hand / Body Coordination	How the hand, feet & body respond to visual information.
Visual Perception	Understanding what is seen.

Problems with any of these skills may result in the child trying harder than necessary which often reduces the child's attention, comprehension, and general school or sports performance. Vison Therapy improves and/or enhances these skills.

Amblyopia and/or Strabismus
Very poor visual skills may result in a lazy or wandering eye.

Amblyopia (lazy eye)
The clarity of central vision in one eye is less than the other in spite of the best lens correction.

Treatment varies depending on the extent of the condition and the patient's age. Patching the stronger eye will stimulate the weaker eye, and improving the eye teaming skills will teach both eyes to work together for permanent results.

Strabismus (eye turn)
An extreme problem in eye teaming when the two eyes do not line up and work together. It may be a constant condition or only occur at specific distances or during certain activities.

Strabismus is seldom caused by weak eye muscles. It is usually due to faulty control of the eye muscles.

Vision Therapy, corrective lenses, and surgery are treatment options.

Vision Therapy Success Stories "Kelly now reads phrases rather than hesitating with each word. This improved flow and speed helps her comprehension. Her progress will make up for the time invested many times over in the future." Kelly's teacher

"I am grateful to Vision Park for giving Matthew a future. After six months of visual therapy, he is much more confident. It was a joy to hear him say, 'Let's go to the library!'"

Matthew's mother

"Before vision therapy, Nikolaus couldn't judge the distance of baseballs in the little league. After two sessions, he could hit the ball better and that really excited him. He has also jumped to a higher reading level at school."

Nikolaus' mother

Does your child have a learning related vision problem? Here are some signs: Child becomes easily distracted Avoids near tasks Poor self-image Low comprehension Poor concentration Fails to complete assignments Frustrated with school Exaggerated head movements Loses place and skips lines Very close reading distance Rapidly fatigues when reading Closing or covering one eye while reading Turning or tilting of head while reading Blur Headaches Double vision Eye strain Rubbing of the eyes Re-reading words or paragraphs Word or letter reversals Misjudgements of distance, size and location in sports and play

Westmark II Plaza 2699 86th St. Urbandale, Iowa 50322 515.270.2490 800.779.2490 M-W, Friday 8am-5pm Thursday 9am-7pm Saturdays by appointment only	Fox Prairie Plaza 640 South 50th Street, Suite 2180 West Des Moines, Iowa 50265 515.225.8667 Monday-Friday 9am-6pm

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