Getting an Eye Exam for Vision Therapy

In a Developmental Eye Exam, we assess all the visual processes that affect a child's ability to perform and learn inside and outside of the classroom.

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Getting an Eye Exam for Vision Therapy in Olympia

Take our Vision Quiz to learn whether you should explore Vision Therapy

An eye exam is necessary when visual problems arise. And while eye exams are tailored to meet individual concerns, most include an assessment of corneal shape, determination of near and farsightedness, measurement of peripheral vision, and an evaluation of the pressure caused by the fluid in your eyes.

Standard tests are critical to determining how well a person can see and if they have a visual impairment. However eye exams for vision therapy (VT), address how well a person can use their eyes. By addressing use over function, a VT exam, also known as a functional eye exam, can pinpoint cognitive deficiencies, visual efficiency, and perceptual problems even if the actual eye is structurally sound.

How to Know when a Functional Eye Exam is needed

Standard eye exams are typically needed when a child is unable to see the board from a distance, it becomes difficult for someone to read small print, or you need a new eyeglass prescription. These exams are thorough, but cannot provide an in depth explanation as to why, for example, your child writes diagonally, your student sees more clearly when they cover one eye, or you find it difficult to understand the words you can read with ease.

Functional eye exams are recommended for all children as they check distance vision and all aspects of our visual processing that impact our ability to function well in the classroom and out. A functional vision exam is particularly important if you are experiencing:

Pain in the eyes
Double vision
Difficulty with word recall
Poor balance
Bad handwriting
Difficulty with sports
An inability to pay attention and concentrate on tasks at hand
Poor reading and aural comprehension
Light sensitivity
An inability to track words and objects
Eyestrain and headaches
Words that “move” as you read
Unintentional skipping of words and lines while reading
The need to insert extra large or small spaces between letters and words.

What Happens During a Vision Therapy Eye Exam

In order to improve the way your child’s eyes respond both neurologically and visually, a functional eye exam will determine how their eyes work individually and together, how brain function impacts how and what you can see, and whether or not their eyes are appropriately aligned.

Functional Vision Exam

After reviewing your child’s overall health history, a series of individualized tests will be administered. These tests will assess anything from learning issues, to developmental delays, to sports needs, and brain function. It usually takes around an hour to thoroughly determine how well your child’s brain and eyes interact.

Prior to Your Child’s Eye Exam

A number of factors will be assessed prior to your child’s functional eye exam. Amongst them are color perception, eye tracking, binocular vision and integration, and how the eyes move during reading.

During The Eye Exam

As your child’s exam progresses, more visual skills will be evaluated. These range from visual acuity, eye alignment, and convergence and divergence of the eyes, to how flexibly the eye can focus, overall ocular health, and pupil reflexes.

After the Your Child’s Eye Exam

Upon evaluating your child's eyes and visual function, our optometrist will design a treatment plan to address any visual deficits that may be affecting their success. You will be informed of the skills that need to be addressed and how, together with our eye doctor and therapist, you can accomplish this.

Common Questions

What You Can Expect From Vision Therapy?

After a plan of care has been established and visual dysfunctions identified, you will be assigned a vision therapist who will oversee the therapy of exercises intended to improve your child’s visual function. A full course of vision therapy normally consists of 20-40 sessions depending on what visual skills require therapy, with each session lasting about 45 minutes. In-office appointments are scheduled weekly and assigned eye exercises are to be practiced da

Will I Need Vision Therapy After Completing a Functional Eye Exam?

Not necessarily. Although a functional eye exam is needed to determine if you need vision therapy, you may learn after testing that you need a stronger eyeglass prescription or another type of intervention altogether.

Eye Exams for Vision Therapy Help Everyone

Vision therapy is an effective treatment for school-age children, professional athletes in need of upping their game, those who suffer from traumatic brain injury, and many others. What’s more, when vision therapy helps the patient, it ultimately helps the teachers, co-workers, and loved ones in that patient’s life. To schedule a functional vision exam, please call (360) 491-2121. Patients with functional vision issues visit our clinic from all over Washington, and we are proud to be a leading provider of functional vision services for patients from Olympia, Lakewood, Tacoma, and Lacey.

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Testimonials

Such a nice optician. My grandson is only 4 and needs glasses. We were so sad, but he explained the issues, and we will follow up as he suggested.

Anna P.

I had such a good experience with the clinic. Very friendly staff and doctor, did not have to wait for long to be called, and was treated respectfully. Thanks, American Family.

June S.

Dr. Zurcher has gone above and beyond what any other eye doctor has ever done to figure out what is going on with my eyes. Very happy with American Family Vision.

Christine R.

Family Vision Clinic changed our lives! My daughter was frequently car sick, and she was getting headaches every day, often painful enough that they brought her to tears. We saw a string of doctors and therapists, but we made no progress. Finally, we found Dr. Levi Zurcher and his eye therapist Rain. After ten weeks of eye therapy my daughter no longer gets headaches, and she no longer gets car sick. Daily tears are a thing of the past. I really can’t say enough about this clinic. It was fascinating to watch Dr. Zurcher work. For the first time, someone who knew what they were doing was intently studying my daughter, really trying to figure out all of her eye issues, and his therapist Rain is one of the most patient and lovely people that I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet. We’re finished with eye therapy—yay!—and I have switched to American Family Vision Clinic for all of my family’s other eye health needs.

Lars Wulff

Very professional, yet kind and helpful. They do what they can to make the appointment comfortable. I was running a bit late, I made sure ti call. They were able to switch me with a patient who was already there, they treated me with respect, and helped my son have confidence by getting him the eye care he needed that day. Thank you so much! Would recommend to anyone. It's a blessing that they care enough to work with people who have all different types of insurance from work to state coverage.