Can Home Exercises Treat Lazy Eye?

Are at home vision therapy exercises effective or do I need to go to a doctors office to achieve the best results?

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

Vision Therapy Home Exercises

Vision therapy is a very effective method of lazy eye treatment. An optometrist who practices vision therapy is referred to as a behavioral optometrist and this field focuses on strengthening the entire visual system to work properly together as a team. Lazy eye is caused due to a lack of coordination or teamwork of the visual system and therefore vision therapy directly treats the root cause. It is highly recommended to treat a lazy eye under the supervision and guidance of a professional. (562) 925-6591 and staff will be happy to welcome you to Amplify EyeCare of Greater Long Beach where we have vast experience diagnosing and treating a lazy eye and other visual functions.

What is Vision Therapy?

Vision therapy is a field practiced by behavioral optometrists who have been trained to strengthen the complex skills pertaining to the eyes and visual system as a whole, extending beyond 20/20 vision. In order to achieve clear vision, both eyes must be working together as a team and communicating properly with the brain. Vision therapy uses customized treatment programs for each patient which incorporate repeated activities and exercises that train the brain and the eyes to efficiently work together.

Online Home Exercises

There are home exercises available online without supervision of a behavioral optometrist. This type of home exercise is not recommended because it’s very important to have an optometrist who is professionally trained and experienced who can supervise and guide you every step of the way from diagnosis throughout treatment in order to achieve the most successful long term results. After a functional eye exam, you will receive a professional diagnosis including the root cause of the lazy eye, followed by a proper treatment plan catered to your needs and visual abilities. The treatment very often includes an essential element of at home exercises which have been tailored specifically to your needs and to your visual system. By following online exercises that have not been directly prescribed to you by a professional, you are taking the risk of pursuing activities which can send the wrong signals between your eyes and brain.

We strongly recommend pursuing a thorough diagnosis and following an individualized treatment plan that is customized for you by a professional. At Amplify EyeCare of Greater Long Beach, we welcome you to schedule an appointment to meet our functional optometrist, Dr. Eric T. Ikeda, and staff. Dr. Ikeda will perform a functional eye exam to decide if you can benefit from vision therapy and to diagnose a lazy eye or any other visual function that can use strengthening.

What do I do if I live too far to come into a practice for vision therapy?

For patients that require vision therapy for lazy eye but have difficulty coming into our practice for in-office therapy, we can create a hybrid program that allows our behavioural optometrist to oversee the therapy while minimizing the need for in-office visits. The exact program will depend on the patient's therapy needs, however in general it will include limited office visits with therapy done online with a vision therapist from our office as well as non-supervised exercises. Our behavioural optometrist recommends that therapy is done in office when possible, however when circumstances do not allow for that we will work with the patient to create a program that will allow them to achieve the best results from therapy that is done both online, at home, and in the office.

Common Questions

What are possible causes of a lazy eye?

A lazy eye occurs when each eye is perceiving an image differently and in order to cope with this confusion, the brain shuts off communication with the “lazy eye” and relies solely on the other, stronger, eye. There are different factors that can cause a lazy eye. Strabismus, which is the medical term for crossed eyes; Refractive reasons, which means that it’s due to the optical prescription, and this occurs when there is a significant difference in power between the eyes or if there is a high power of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism in both eyes; and Physical obstruction that is blocking the lazy eye, such as cataract or a droopy eyelid

What are the symptoms of a lazy eye?

It can be very difficult to notice a lazy eye and therefore, it’s strongly recommended to schedule a functional eye exam so that the optometrist can make a professional diagnosis including the cause for the lazy eye. The following symptoms are not always present, making it difficult to identify a lazy eye, but the possible symptoms include wandering eye inwards or outwards, poor vision and/or depth perception, head tilting and squinting or shutting the eye

What is a vision therapist?

To put it simply, a vision therapist is a person under the supervision of an optometrist who conducts therapeutic activities to help a person who suffers from a visual disorder.

Summary

We would love to see you at our practice, Amplify EyeCare of Greater Long Beach, for a consultation and to answer any of your questions about a lazy eye or any other visual functions. Please schedule an appointment to meet Dr. Ikeda and staff, either by calling (562) 925-6591 or Book an Appointment . Patients with functional vision issues such as lazy eye visit our clinic from all over California, and we are proud to be a leading provider of functional vision services for patients from Bellflower, Long Beach, Lakewood, and Los Angeles.

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Testimonials

I haven't actually used the optometrist side, so my review is limited to the vision therapy offered. This office was recommended by my occupational therapist for the treatment of my double vision following a stroke.

Claire A.

Love this location. I had a brain injury accident from day one one. All the team make you feel you still important and hope in the horizon after when the medical system fell you miserably. Dr. Ikeda very professional and very understanding about your issue. Two tombs up.

Jim K.

My husband and I were immediately impressed with Dr Ikeda. I was hit by a car while cycling which caused broken bones and three brain injuries. The brain injuries caused double vision. Dr. Ikeda examined my eyes and got me started on vision therapy with his occupational therapist who specializes in vision therapy. She (Chris) is absolutely great. I am impressed with the array of tools used to help recover my binocular vision. I am doing things I never thought were possible (balance boards etc). Chris pushes me and keeps me motivated. I really enjoy my sessions with her. The office staff is always friendly and they have a wonderful appointment reminder tool that makes it easy to keep my calendar up to date. I am happy the rehab center at Little Co. of Mary recommended them!!

Teresa S.

The Vision Therapy is handled in a separate office through a different door from the shared waiting room. Chris, the vision therapist, has a wide and varied assortment of tools, equipment and resources to best evaluate and treat most vision issues. After just a few visits, my double vision became easier to control, using exercises developed during the therapy process. It was time well-spent.

Joe M.

I have been coming here since I can remember. I love it here. The staff is so amazing and nice. They explain everything they gonna do and never make you feel rushed. Dr. Ikeda has always been my doctor and I would never want another one. He is the doctor for my whole family and is always asking how everyone is doing. I am also so crazy about picking out my frames and have to try so many and each person who helps me take the time and lets me try them all on. I would never want to go anywhere else! I definitely would recommend this office to anyone looking for a great eye doctor.

Kayla W.

This is not for the eye exam but for the frames selection portion. I brought my prescription from Kaiser here with my VSP insurance. The reception staff was very polite and professional. Manny helped me to pick out frames and explain my coverage. Very helpful and patient not like the individual at the other place I rated here on Yelp. I was running late and he still helped me and was not bothered at all. I am so glad I came here ..........very pleased.

Very professional staff and pleasant.