Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, & Vision Therapy

I frequently encounter families that inquire about various treatment approaches, such as vision therapy.  I am not a vision therapist nor do I have any financial interest in whether or not someone undergoes such treatment. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and the American Association of Certified Orthoptists developed a joint policy statement in 2014.  The policy statement concluded... "Diagnostic and treatment approaches that lack scientific evidence of efficacy, including eye exercises, behavioral vision therapy, or special tinted filters or lenses, are not endorsed and should not be recommended." Moreover, "Currently, there is inadequate scientific evidence to support the view that subtle eye or visual problems, including abnormal focusing, jerky eye movements, misaligned or crossed eyes, binocular dysfunction, visual-motor dysfunction, visual perceptual difficulties, or hypothetical difficulties with laterality or 'trouble crossing the midline' of the visual field, cause learning disabilities." "...visual problems do not underlie dyslexia." "Dyslexia and learning disabilities are complex problems that have no simple solutions.  The most widely accepted view is that dyslexia is a language-based disorder." You can read the entire policy statement here.   The policy statement and the American Academy of Ophthalmology indicate that one condition that eye exercises can help is for convergence-insufficiency (CI) or "eye teaming." If you have further questions regarding dyslexia or learning disabilities, please feel free to email (info@andersenpsychology.com) or call us (602.699.4543).