computer program that increase visual functioning

Before using any of the programs below, you want to be reasonably certain your child does not have any severe visual efficiency deficits. A developmental vision eval can determine that. See http://www.covd.org for board-certified developmental optometrists in your area.

If there are visual efficiency deficits, vision therapy is in order. This can be done all in-office (most expensive) or with a home therapy program designed and supervised by a developmental optometrist (but not all are willing to do this). With certain types of common problems, home software is sufficient. See http://www.homevisiontherapy.com for developmental optometrists licensed to dispense this software. Usual cost for pre-testing, the software, and post-testing is under $300. However, if you decide to go this route, make sure the optometrist is willing to dispense the software even if you are within driving distance for in-office.

Assuming there are no serious visual efficiency deficits, EyeQ is one software program that works on developing peripheral vision, etc. Look for this discounted (Google). I was able to get this at a very reduced price on an auction site. In my opinion, this is pretty boring software. However, if you are good about using it daily, it probably does help develop some visual processing skills.

In general, I prefer cognitive skills training programs for developing visual processing skills. For 8yo and up, BrainSkills (http://www.brainskills.com) and PACE (http://www.processingskills.com) are the best. If you can afford it, it’s much easier to do PACE. LearningRx is the franchised version of PACE and is even more expensive. These are great programs, though, that work on developing a wide variety of skills (including visual sequencing, visual short-term memory, pattern recognition, auditory sequencing, auditory short-term memory, attention skills, multi-tasking skills, etc.).

A computerized cognitive skills training program is BrainWare Safari. It is probably not as wide-ranging as BrainSkills or PACE, but does have the advantage of being a computer program. Website for this is http://www.brainwareforyou.com .

There are also computer programs that work specifically on developing reading speed (including tracking speed). http://www.acereader.com is one of these.

Nancy

I just took a course in Balametrics and I believe that this program offers a variety of ways to improve visual processing. Unfortunately, it is not a computer program; never-the-less, I will be trying this.

Thank you for your excellent post. I will look into all those suggestions!!!

I just wanted to add that my daughter has been in Vision Therapy for 3 years now. I fought the insurance company and eventually they did start paying. Now several folks at our Vision Therapy office have insurance paying. When the insurance company denied, I asked that it be reviewed by a peer of the eye doctor - like it said in the fine print of the insurance company- a peer is another Developmental/Behavioral Optometrist! My question is for othe folks out there, have you found that the Vision Therapy has helped? I have had a couple PhDs tell me that they feel it helps with Traumatic Brain Injured, but for LD it does not carry over into the classroom - does not help with the reading. With my daughter we did notice things like she started riding a bike and started noticing things in a larger field of vision the first few months of therapy. Lately I haven’t noticed changes as much, but keep going. I totally agree that we don’t have time to wait for these things to be proven. Just think when we were students a few short years ago - never heard of half of these disorders. One of my brothers has severe ADHD = and my mother didn’t wait for the proven methods. She put him on Ritalin and changed his diet (and all of us other 7 kids she had). Today, at 45, my brother is married with 3 kids, a very successful lawyer, and just bought the house we grew up in (for 1.5 million. No lie!). The “problem child” is now supporting his mother very well!
[Modified by: maryellen on December 07, 2006 06:11 AM]

[Modified by: maryellen on December 07, 2006 06:13 AM]

I think I did not mention EyeQ software, as I’m not sure it’s still in print. If you Google, you may be able to find it. This does not do everything you mentioned, but it does work on field-of-vision and peripheral vision to some extent.

For color therapy, you can make your own light box and use color overlays from a theatrical supplier (used on the lights in theaters). However, you need to get the specs from a developmental optometrist, as the amount of light output for the box is critical. You also have to know which colors to use and for how long. Research is scanty, but there is a decent scientific basis for thinking that color therapy stimulates in a way that is likely to increase field-of-vision (if it is deficient).

Nancy

My 9 year old daughter was just diagnost with a visual processing diability. I have found many of these computer type programs and even a visual “therapist”. But not much about research based programs. Does anyone know where I can find out about the research behind these therapies.

Thanks,

Hi Beth,
I run a forum for the maths disorder Dyscalculia, where Visual Processing is a major factor. It is particularly relevant when it comes to Algebra and dealing with what is termed; ‘Order of Operations’.
I have been researching Visual Working Memory and processing, and also simple remedial exercises.
Though an important thing about Visual Working Memory, is that it is not something that we are born with. It is a ‘set of skills’ that develop through practise.
Resulting in an ability to Visualise, using what is called our Mind’s Eye.
Which basically involve learning to ‘capture’ an image in our Mind’s Eye, and to ‘recall’ an image into it.
Another skill, is to be able to ‘look around’ the image in our mind.
Then to be able to ‘rotate’ the image and see it from different directions.
Further to this, is the skill to make changes within the image.
Then to be able to merge 2 images together, to form one.
For example, you might begin by picturing a Dog in your Mind’s Eye.
Then change it to different colours, and maybe add some spots?
Then rotate the image of the dog, and look at it from different directions.
Then zoom in on its head.
A Cat then enters the picture.
Picture the Cat walking around the Dog, as they look at each other.
But then a Duck turns up and the Dog and Cat run after it.

That little mental movie, involves all of our Visual Processing skills.
Though initially it involves practising the capture and holding of a visual image in our mind’s eye.
Where pencil and paper can be used to practise this.

If you would like to try these out, then let me know.
Geoff,

BethTH,

If you go to http://www.childrensvision.com and scroll down to the last couple of click links, you will find a paper on vision therapy with citations and research sources and also a bibliography of research studies.

Hopefully your vision “therapist” is a board-certified developmental optometrist. You can check at http://www.covd.org

In my experience, developmental optometrists are best for correcting visual *efficiency* deficits — problems with convergence, accommodation, tracking, gross saccades, etc. Visual efficiency skills are the basic vision skills.

The next layer of development is visual *processing* skills — visual sequencing, visual short-term memory, pattern recognition, attention to visual detail, etc. Once visual efficiency skills are in place, many children benefit from cognitive skills training to develop visual processing skills to the level of automaticity most of us have. The best program for this is PACE (http://www.processingskills.com). The franchised version is called LearningRx (http://www.learningrx.com), and the abbreviated home version is called BrainSkills (http://www.brainskills.com).

Nancy

I had my son tested by a behavioral developmental optometrist. After spending $655.00 for a comprenhensive exam she diagnosed covergence insufficiency, eye movement deficiency, and accomodative infacility. My insurance does not cover vision therapy and she was recommending around $6,418.00 out of pocket expenses. I had my son examed by a pediatric opthomologist and he said my son’s vision was normal. I had my son stop using his prescription eye wear since they did not help. In the meantime, he is getting evlauated by the school for a learning disability and or dyslexia. I had his eye examed three times by an optometrist, developmental optometrist and then a pediatrict opthomologist. My son is very coordinated and excells in gross motor skills so I did not go throught the expensive vision therapy at the office route but I am interested in any sofeware that could help with blurring vision in reading up close. I have used the overlays when he reads to help reduce the stress and have purchased magififiers to help with the font. I hope I made the right choice.

I had my son tested by a behavioral developmental optometrist. After spending $655.00 for a comprenhensive exam she diagnosed covergence insufficiency, eye movement deficiency, and accomodative infacility. My insurance does not cover vision therapy and she was recommending around $6,418.00 out of pocket expenses. I had my son examed by a pediatric opthomologist and he said my son’s vision was normal. I had my son stop using his prescription eye wear since they did not help. In the meantime, he is getting evlauated by the school for a learning disability and or dyslexia. I had his eye examed three times by an optometrist, developmental optometrist and then a pediatrict opthomologist. My son is very coordinated and excells in gross motor skills so I did not go throught the expensive vision therapy at the office route but I am interested in any sofeware that could help with blurring vision in reading up close. I have used the overlays when he reads to help reduce the stress and have purchased magififiers to help with the font. I hope I made the right choice.

bgmom,

Where I live, a comprehensive developmental vision exam is more in the neighborhood of $225 (with a written report of test results costing an additional $75). Of course, I live in the Midwest and this is the cost of an eval done at a non-profit.

The trouble with opthalmologists, pediatric or otherwise, is that they are trained as medical doctors to look for physical problems and diseases. They are really not trained in developmental vision and typically do not know how to assess it.

http://www.homevisiontherapy.com lists optometrists who are licensed to dispense their vision therapy software. Cost for pre-testing, the software, and post-testing is usually under $300 total. If you cannot find a local optometrist licensed to dispense the software, I would recommend contacting Dr. Stephey in CA (he is listed at the website). He can help with telephone and/or email consultation and can be very helpful. My understanding is that the software does address all of the issues you mention.

It is possible to have excellent visual-motor integration and fine and gross motor skills, but still have problems with text at reading distance. That’s why I would encourage getting the software.

Nancy

Thank you for the website. I live in Austin, Texas and my developmental optometrist recommended that my son come in once a week for 140.00 per session for approximately 30 sessions. She would give him home exercises to do every day. She also recommended that he participate in syntonic phototherapy for five weeks prior to his vision therapy. He would need to come everyday for five weeks for this service (70.00 per session). I just got put off with the upfront payment, and financing options with a credit card company. My son was above average on certain test and below average on others. When I asked the norm on the low average they did not return my calls. I also asked what software programs that they would use so I could check on getting them and using them at home. I felt that they were only interested in their money upfront and that I would need to come in everyweek to get the full benefit.

bgmom,

I just wanted to mention that, if you call one of the optometrists at the http://www.homevisiontherapy.com website, that you *make sure* before going in for the appointment that the optometrist is willing to provide you with the software — even if you live within driving distance of the clinic. I know of one case where the optometrist refused the software because the family was within driving distance of the clinic. This may not be a common problem, but an ounce of prevention……

It doesn’t matter what kind of doctor you are seeing; there are wonderful ones, mediocre ones, and bad ones. I have learned to “fire” doctors I don’t like and look for ones who are exceptional. Same applies to vision therapy.

Nancy