Articles on the effectiveness
of vision training in treating eye disorders:
A sampling from over 20 years of research
by optometrists (OD's), ophthalmologists (MD's)
and vision scientists (PhD's)

Accommodative disorders (focusing)

Effectiveness of optometric vision therapy: Eighty out of 100 children improved in accommodative amplitude (the ability to focus on close objects) and 76 improved in accommodative facility (the ability to adjust focus from near to far) after vision therapy. Wold, RM, Pierce JR, Keddington, J J Amer Optom Assoc, 49:1047-1059, 1978.

Review: Management of binocular anomalies: efficacy of vision therapy in the treatment of accommodative deficiencies: Vision therapy improves accommodative function and eliminates associated symptoms. The improvements are durable, and they cannot be accounted for by Hawthorne or placebo effects because the physiological response variables have been identified. Rouse MW, Am J Optom Physiol Optics, 64:415-420, 1987.

Binocular dysfunctions (teaming)

A randomized prospective masked and matched comparative study of orthoptic treatment versus conventional reading tutoring treatment for reading disabilities in 62 children: Reading improved in children with reading disabilities when they were given vision therapy. The treatment was as effective as reading practice. Atzmon D, Nemet P, et al, Binoc Vision & Eye Muscle Surgery Qtrly, 8:91-106, 1993.

Review: Convergence insufficiency: incidence, diagnosis and treatment: In 17 studies involving 2149 patients, 78% were "cured" of convergence insufficiency by vision therapy and an additional 15% were "improved." Cooper J, Druckman R, J Amer Optom Assoc, 49:673-680, 1978.

Ocular motility dysfunctions (tracking)

The effect of oculomotor training on reading efficiency: Vision therapy improved the reading efficiency of 10 adult "poor readers" who had failed an academically appropriate reading test, compared to a control group that did not receive therapy. Rounds BB, Manley CW, Norris RH, J Amer Optom Assoc, 62:92-97, 1991.

Review: Effect of oculomotor and other visual skills on reading performance: a review: Efficient reading requires accurate eye movements and continuous integration of information obtained from each fixation by the brain. Reading skill and oculomotor efficiency are related, and oculomotor deficiencies can be treated successfully with vision therapy. Kulp MT, Schmidt PP, Optom Visual Sci, 73:283-292, 1996.