As humans, our visual system lets us see in three dimensions and judge distance accurately. Because our eyes are set slightly apart, the brain blends the two images into one. This ability to see depth and distance clearly is called binocular vision.
When the eyes do not work together properly, binocular vision disorders can develop. Symptoms may include poor focusing, lack of smooth eye movement, eye-hand coordination problems, or difficulty with motor skills and eye-teaming abilities. Even people with 20/20 vision can struggle with these issues. In some cases, such as strabismus or amblyopia, surgery has been a standard treatment. In other cases, surgery may not help, leaving patients to cope with visual discomfort.
Thankfully, eye coordination therapy, also known as vision therapy, is now widely used as a solution for many binocular vision problems. Vision therapy can help both patients who might have needed surgery and those who never had that option.
A well-designed vision therapy program can strengthen weak visual skills and improve binocular vision assessments. The process is much like physical therapy for the body. Instead of working on arms or legs, amblyopia eye exercises and eye alignment training strengthen the eyes and their ability to work together.
Therapy is personalized for each patient. Most programs involve weekly in-office sessions supervised by an eye doctor, along with home exercises. These tasks train the eyes to work in unison, improving clarity, comfort, and depth perception. Progress is often tracked through sensorimotor evaluations to measure improvement and adjust treatment.
Both children and adults can benefit. Pediatric vision training is often used for learning-related visual issues, while vision therapy for adults can help with problems caused by injury, stress, or long-term untreated vision conditions.
For those with strabismus treatment needs or ongoing eye misalignment, therapy may reduce strain and restore function. Patients with amblyopia, also called “lazy eye,” may also see improvements with consistent exercises.
Vision therapy can be an important part of ocular health care, helping patients achieve better coordination, sharper focus, and more efficient visual skills.
Yes. Many patients with binocular vision disorders see improved coordination and comfort with therapy.
It is a treatment program using exercises and activities to train both eyes to work together.
Some prefer surgery or medication, but many optometrists report success with non-surgical therapy programs.
Treatment may include glasses, vision therapy, or in some cases surgery, depending on the condition.
