What Conditions Does Vision Therapy Treat?

When most people think about eye care, they think of glasses, contact lenses, or eye surgery. But there’s another powerful treatment option that often goes overlooked: vision therapy. Vision therapy is a customized, doctor-supervised program designed to improve how the eyes and brain work together. Rather than simply correcting vision clarity, it focuses on strengthening visual skills that impact learning, comfort, and daily performance. At Ciotti Eye Care, vision therapy is used to treat a wide range of visual conditions in both children and adults.

Binocular Vision Disorders

Binocular vision refers to how well the two eyes work together as a team. When this system is disrupted, patients may experience double vision, eye strain, headaches, or difficulty concentrating.

Vision therapy commonly treats:

• Eye teaming problems (poor coordination between the eyes)

• Difficulty maintaining single, clear vision

• Fatigue or discomfort during reading or computer work

By training the eyes to work together more effectively, vision therapy can significantly reduce symptoms and improve visual comfort.

Convergence Insufficiency

Convergence insufficiency occurs when the eyes struggle to turn inward together while focusing on close objects, such as books or digital screens. This condition is especially common in school-aged children and adults who spend long hours doing near work.

Symptoms may include:

• Headaches or eye strain while reading

• Words appearing to move or blur

• Short attention span for close-up tasks

Vision therapy is considered one of the most effective treatments for convergence insufficiency, helping patients build the skills needed for sustained near vision.

Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

Amblyopia develops when one eye does not achieve normal vision, even with corrective lenses. It often begins in childhood but can still be improved later in life with the right approach.

Vision therapy can help by:

• Encouraging both eyes to work together

• Improving visual processing and clarity

• Reducing eye dominance issues

In many cases, therapy can enhance visual function beyond what glasses or patching alone can achieve.

Strabismus (Eye Turn)

Strabismus is a condition where one or both eyes turn inward, outward, upward, or downward. While surgery or glasses may be part of treatment, vision therapy often plays a critical role in improving eye control and coordination.

Vision therapy may help:

• Improve eye alignment

• Enhance depth perception

• Reduce visual confusion or suppression

Each therapy program is tailored to the patient’s specific type of eye turn and visual needs.

Learning-Related Vision Problems

Many children who struggle with reading or learning do not have a problem with intelligence - but with how their visual system processes information. Vision therapy can address visual skills essential for learning, including:

• Eye tracking (moving smoothly across a line of text)

• Visual memory and sequencing

• Visual attention and focus

When these skills improve, children often experience increased confidence, better reading stamina, and improved academic performance.

Visual Processing Disorders

Visual processing disorders occur when the brain has difficulty interpreting visual information accurately. This can affect reading comprehension, handwriting, math performance, and everyday tasks.

Vision therapy helps by:

• Strengthening how visual information is interpreted

• Improving speed and accuracy of visual responses

• Supporting overall visual efficiency

These improvements can have a lasting impact at school, work, and home.

Post-Concussion and Neurological Vision Problems

After a concussion or neurological event, patients often experience lingering vision issues, even if their eyesight tests as “normal.” Vision therapy can play an important role in rehabilitation.

Common post-injury symptoms treated with vision therapy include:

• Light sensitivity

• Dizziness or motion discomfort

• Difficulty focusing or reading

A structured therapy program can help retrain the visual system and support overall recovery.

Take the Next Step at Ciotti Eye Care

Vision therapy is a highly effective, non-invasive treatment option for a wide range of visual conditions that glasses or contacts alone cannot fix. By addressing how the eyes and brain work together, vision therapy can improve comfort, performance, and quality of life for patients of all ages.

Contact Ciotti Eye Care to schedule a consultation and find out whether vision therapy is right for you. Visit our office in Riverview, Florida, or call (813) 212-7400 to book an appointment today.