AMBLYOPIA AND VISION THERAPY

When the ability to focus both eyes (binocular vision) is disrupted during early childhood development, the brain turns off or suppresses the incoming signals from the affected eye. Amblyopia occurs when vision development is disrupted in one of the following ways:

1. Strabismic Amblyopia – This common form of amblyopia occurs when the eyes are misaligned, a condition known as strabismus. To avoid double vision, the brain shuts off or suppresses the weaker eye.
2. Refractive Amblyopia –This form of amblyopia occurs when one eye has significantly uncorrected nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. When this happens, the brain favors the eye with better vision and shuts off or suppresses the weaker eye.
3. Deprivation Amblyopia –This form of amblyopia occurs when light is blocked from entering an eye, such as cataracts or astigmatism. As a result of the obstruction, one eye becomes weaker, and the brain favors the eye without the obstruction, turning off or suppresses the weaker eye.

Symptoms typically include:

• Squinting or shutting an eye
• Impaired depth perception
• Poor eye-hand coordination
• Tripping and/or accident prone
• Trouble with micro eye movement
• Slower reading speed and comprehension

Until recent advancements, treating amblyopia with an eye patch was the general model of care. However, patching: 

• Is very uncomfortable for the patient
• Has multiple negative side effects
• Has limited results based on age and usually not recommended past age 10
• Does not usually develop the patient’s ability to obtain normal binocular vision with depth perception

Now there are better evidence-based methods for treating amblyopia that goes beyond patching.  

At Tewari eye centre we are a leading developmental and rehabilitative vision therapy practice. Our doctors and board-certified vision therapists treat amblyopia with intensive office-based vision therapy for more effective results. We address amblyopia with a personalized approach. Each session is one-on-one (therapist-to-patient), conducted under doctor supervision. Our providers utilize the latest technology and methods, including in-office and home-support virtual reality to develop binocular vision and depth perception, making treatment enjoyable and productive. Furthermore, our treatment is designed for all ages. 

Our advanced treatment includes:

• In-Office and Home-Support Virtual Reality
• Intensive Binocular Vision Therapy
• Visual Processing Development
• Oculomotor Vision Therapy
• Eye-Hand Coordination Development
• Accommodation “Eye Focusing” Therapy