14/03/2025
Behavioral and developmental optometry focuses on how vision impacts daily activities, addressing visual skills like eye teaming, focusing, and tracking, and using vision therapy to improve visual function and performance.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
What it is:
Specialized Optometry:
Behavioral and developmental optometry is a specialized area within optometry that goes beyond traditional eye exams to assess and treat how vision influences behavior and daily tasks.
Visual Skills Focus:
These optometrists focus on the entire visual system, including eye teaming (binocular vision), focusing, eye tracking, and visual processing skills.
Beyond Acuity:
While standard eye exams primarily focus on visual acuity (20/20 vision), behavioral optometrists assess the full visual process, including how the eyes and brain work together.
Vision Therapy:
They often use vision therapy, a structured approach that utilizes exercises and activities to improve visual skills and enhance visual function.
Multidisciplinary Approach:
It incorporates physical, neurological, and developmental aspects of vision.
Why it's important:
Learning and Performance:
Vision plays a crucial role in learning, reading, writing, and other daily activities.
Addressing Underlying Issues:
Behavioral optometrists can identify and address vision-related problems that might be causing difficulties in school, work, or sports.
Improving Quality of Life:
By improving visual skills and comfort, behavioral optometry can enhance overall quality of life.
Neurological Conditions:
They also assess and manage visual issues associated with neurological conditions like stroke, head injury, and concussion.
Who benefits:
Children:
Developmental optometrists can help children with vision-related learning difficulties, eye teaming problems, and visual processing issues.
Adults:
Adults can benefit from behavioral optometry for issues related to reading, computer use, sports performance, and visual fatigue.
Individuals with Neurological Conditions:
Those with neurological conditions can benefit from the specialized assessment and management of visual problems.
How to find a behavioral optometrist:
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