Lazy Eye Treatment | Understanding Ocular Motor Dysfunction

Lazy Eye Treatment | Understanding Ocular Motor Dysfunction

When a child is suffering from an ocular motor dysfunction, they may need lazy eye treatment. Or some other visual therapy. That can help them use their eyes effectively as a team to focus.

In fact, it is an undiagnosed disorder. With 25% of children who have an ocular motor dysfunction or a vision syndrome. Going undiagnosed, for a variety of reasons.

One of the reasons why children may not get the right diagnosis for their vision syndrome. Is because people may not understand why they are struggling in school for example.

And whether a parent does not recognize it. Or a teacher does not recognize it. Children can struggle with reading, and comprehension. Because of their inability to use their eyes effectively.

Therefore, it is very important for parents and teachers. To understand what ocular motor dysfunction is. And what to look for in their children, and their students. So they can help these children effectively.

While parents are very familiar typically with a lazy eye treatment, of patching the eye that is not lazy. Lazy eyes just their eyes not working as a team to focus properly.

And they could have a difficult time with their saccadic eye movement. And according to visual therapists, that refers to a difficult time moving from focusing on one object to another object.

A great example of how this impacts children. Is when they are reading, they must look at each word in a line. To read it, and understand a sentence. When they have a hard time with their saccadic eye movement.

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They may jump from one word to any other word on the page. And that is because they have a hard time focusing on moving their eye from one finite location to another.

Therefore, if a teacher or a parent asks their child to read out loud. They discover that the child is reading a jumble of words. Which can indicate an ocular motor dysfunction with their saccadic eye movements.

However, there are other ocular motor dysfunctions that can impact the child’s ability to read. Such as their pursuit eye movement. And this refers to being able to follow motion with the eyes.

Therefore, when children are reading a line of text. They must follow the entire line all the way to the end. And then drop down to the next line of text, in order to follow that.

However, a child who has difficult time with their pursuit eye movement. They read the line of text over again, or the line of text above the one that they are on. Which can impact their ability to comprehend what they are reading.

It also can impact their ability to play sports. As they will of the harder time following a ball, or following gameplay, such as children who are in motion.

Therefore, if this is what parents or teachers notice is going on with the child. Perhaps they need a lazy eye treatment. Or any other visual therapy to help them use their eyes effectively.

Lazy Eye Treatment | Understanding Ocular Motor Dysfunction

There are many things that can cause a child to have a hard time in school, or require a lazy eye treatment. But diagnosis is the first important step.

One of the reasons why parents should always have their child go to an optometrist for their regular eye exam. Especially when they go see vision by design.

Is because they will routinely test or problems with children’s ocular motor function. The reason why they routinely test for vision syndromes, or ocular motor dysfunctions.

Is because one in 4 Children in Canada. Have an undiagnosed vision syndrome. And vision syndrome, such as needing a lazy eye treatment. Cannot be fixed by corrective lenses.

Therefore, finding the right diagnosis. Can help a vision therapist figure out the best treatment options. To discuss with the parent, that can help the child use their eyes effectively.

When they come in for their routine eye exam. The vision therapist will their ocular motor abilities. And if they suspect that the child has a hard time.

They will ask the parents to bring the child back for a more comprehensive test. That can look for a wide variety of ocular motor dysfunctions.

During this comprehensive exam, the visual therapist will look for things such as the eye teaming ability of the child. As well as their ability to focus on stationary objects. As well as objects that are in motion.

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Also, they will assess their ocular motor skills. And together, all this information will allow the vision therapist and not only, up with a diagnosis. But discuss treatment options that are available.

Whether they need lazy eye treatment, or a treatment that will fix multiple ocular motor dysfunctions. Since when the child has one ocular motor dysfunction. They typically have another one as well.

The vision therapy that will be able to be done on-site at vision by design. Will allow the vision therapist to help the child train their eyes. So that they can use them more effectively.

It will help them use their eyes as a team. Help them learn how to control where their eyes are focusing. And how to use their eyes as a team to follow an object in motion.

How many vision therapy sessions they needed. Will depend on the child, their specific ocular motor dysfunction. And how quickly they are progressing through the program.

However, parents should start to notice after a few sessions. That their child is starting to read better, have an easier time at school. And may be enjoying gym, or their sporting activities more than they used to.

And that will increase their confidence, and help them be happier at school. Since they will be struggling less. In addition to that, children may end up having an easier time with their social skills.

Because they will gain that confidence, and be able to engage in play much more easily. So that they can play with other children. Which will help them increase their social skills at school.