What is the most common reason to consult a VT Specialist (also referred to as Mikud Re'iya – מיקוד ראיה)?

Indications for a consultation include when a child experiences difficulty reading, has a hard time concentrating on “near” work (up close), avoids reading altogether or is uncharacteristically unsuccessful in school.

Are we talking about children that have never read before?

No. Most children have acquired the phonetic basics of reading in kindergarten and first-grade, but when they reach second- and third-grade – when the reading demands increase – some reading problems could appear, such as: Difficulties in reading comprehension, loss of place while reading or avoiding reading altogether.

What is the VT evaluation and treatment process?

First, a thorough examination is performed to try and pinpoint the problem. These include ocular refraction, binocular skills, ocular-motor skills and visual-perception skills. After the initial evaluation, if a problem is found, a specialized and individual program will be created.

The process usually requires 10-15 weekly sessions, during which the child will be taught skills and techniques while using various rules and tools. Most of the tools used in VT are fun and challenging and don’t require physical work. However, just as in speech and occupational therapy, much of the work is done at home with the guidance of the parents, requiring about 10 minutes of exercises a day. Most children begin to report relief about mid-way through the sessions.

What other common problems can be treated by VT?

Lazy eyes (amblyopia), crossed-eyes (strabismus) and perceptual skills can be treated successfully by VT. It should be noted that some of these conditions may require more time for treatment and, in some cases, surgery (not done by us).

Can you give us an example of a situation where VT is effective?

There are many examples to choose from, but one such example is:

The mother of a fourth-grade boy came to our clinic complaining about her child’s reading difficulties, including: Reading avoidance, losing track while reading and lack of reading comprehension. The teacher diagnosed his reading at a second-grade level. After running a full evaluation, the child was diagnosed with convergence insufficiency and ocular-motor dysfunction. A customized treatment plan was developed which included visiting our clinic 45 minutes weekly. The home “work” consisted of 10 minutes of specially designed exercises, five times a week. During the sixth week, the mother delightedly reported that her son went to the library – on his own initiative (!) – took out a book and sat for an entire afternoon reading. In the past, just doing homework had been a struggle, not to mention reading for fun.

Does VT only affect children?

This can be answered with yet another example:

A 37-year old mother of five came to us because she found it very difficult to play with her children due to double vision. This problem caused her great pain as she wasn’t able to work on puzzles or play board games with her children. She wasn’t even able to read them bedtime stories. After a series of seven sessions, she learned how to control her crossed-eyes. Needless to say, both she and her children were thrilled with the results. It turned out that she had suffered from this problem her entire life, but had never received the appropriate treatment.

What other qualifications (in addition to being an Optometrist) does a VT specialist need?

A qualified VT specialist must complete (at least) a Bachelor’s degree in Optometry and pass the exam given by the Ministry of Health. It is also important to have access to all the special equipment needed to diagnose and treat VT.