In her years of practicing, Dr. McBryar has heard many times the questions “what is vision therapy?”, “how can vision therapy help people?”, and “who does vision therapy help”. It is challenging for functional optometrists and neuro optometrists to raise awareness of what they do, who vision therapy can help, and when people should reach out to schedule a functional eye exam.
Why are patient testimonials important?
When it comes to education and raising awareness, patient testimonials are the most useful. If the patient is a child, the parent may write a testimonial about how they improved academically, for example sharing how their child is now reading on grade level. It could also be helpful if the patient was an adult, and they could describe how they are able to manage their workday without headaches and double vision. In the same way, a patient who has suffered a traumatic brain injury can write a testimonial describing how they are now able to function better after neuro optometric rehabilitation.
The testimonials of patients play a huge role in helping eye doctors educate the public about what they do. Dr. Heather McBryar from Amplify EyeCare Chattanooga has several books full of written testimonials from patients, which other parents and patients can read and then decide if vision therapy is right for them.
What kinds of symptoms indicate the need for vision therapy?
There are many symptoms that indicate the need for further evaluation with a functional vision exam. Take this symptom assessment for a more in depth assessment of you or your child's symptoms.
Some common symptoms that may indicate the need for vision therapy include:
- Children who suffer headaches after a school day, but not on the weekend
- When reading, words seem to float off the page
- Getting exhausted after reading or doing activities that require prolonged concentration (in school, at work)
- Losing the place frequently when reading
- Reading something and not being able to recall it
- Having difficulty keeping up with schoolwork or work
- Difficulty with balance especially after a stroke or traumatic brain injury
- Double vision or blurry vision
