What Is Vision Therapy?
- Lynn Valley Optometry
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Understanding Vision Therapy
Vision isn’t something we’re born knowing how to do—it’s a learned process that develops throughout infancy and childhood. When this development is disrupted, it can lead to functional vision problems that affect reading, focus, coordination, and even confidence.
The good news? Because the brain is neuroplastic—capable of adapting and changing throughout life—these skills can be retrained at any age. Vision therapy works through this principle of neuroplasticity, helping your brain and eyes work together more efficiently to improve how you process visual information.
At Lynn Valley Optometry’s Vision Therapy Centre, we specialize in diagnosing and treating these visual inefficiencies so you or your child can experience clearer, more comfortable, and more effective vision for everyday life.
Dr. Coralee Mueller’s Story
The foundation of our Vision Therapy Centre is rooted in the compassion and expertise of Dr. Coralee Mueller—one of only two Certified Neurological Reorganization Practitioners in Canada. Her own childhood experience inspires a deep passion for helping others see and live with greater confidence.
As a child, Dr. Mueller struggled with reading—words would swim on the page, she’d lose her place, and headaches made it difficult to concentrate. Despite having 20/20 vision, she still couldn’t read comfortably. It wasn’t until university that she discovered her challenges were not a lack of intelligence or effort, but a vision processing issue.
Through the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, she learned about Optometric Vision Therapy, which transformed her own life. That experience inspired her to dedicate her career to helping others overcome the same challenges.
Her personal journey shapes every aspect of our Vision Therapy program at Lynn Valley Optometry, where compassion, understanding, and evidence-based care guide each patient’s experience.
What Vision Therapy Can Help With
Vision therapy is often recommended for patients experiencing any of the following:
Headaches or fatigue when reading or focusing
Blurred or double vision
Losing your place or skipping lines while reading
Difficulty focusing between near and far
Dizziness, nausea, or eye strain
Clumsiness or poor hand-eye coordination
Trouble with reading comprehension or concentration
Amblyopia (“lazy eye”) or strabismus (eye turn)
Suppression (when the brain “shuts off” one eye to avoid double vision)
These symptoms often appear in children as learning difficulties or reduced confidence in school, but adults may experience them too—especially after a concussion or head injury. When treated through vision therapy, patients often report improved reading fluency, attention, coordination, and overall comfort.
How Vision Therapy Works
Vision therapy is a personalized, doctor-directed program designed to retrain how the eyes and brain communicate.
At Lynn Valley Optometry, each program is customized to the individual and may include in-office and at-home activities that strengthen the visual system.
Here’s what to expect:
One-on-one therapy sessions with a vision therapist (typically one hour per week)
Home exercises to support ongoing progress
Progress checks with your optometrist every 8–12 weeks
The length of therapy varies for each person, depending on the condition, goals, and rate of progress. Some patients see results within months, while others may continue for longer, especially when neurological rehabilitation is involved.
Building Essential Visual Skills
Vision therapy helps develop and refine core skills that support academic, athletic, and everyday performance:
Tracking: Following moving objects or reading smoothly without losing your place
Binocularity: Coordinating both eyes together for depth perception and comfort
Focus Flexibility: Switching quickly between near and far objects
Visualization: Mentally picturing and understanding what you read or see
Peripheral Awareness: Maintaining awareness of surroundings while focused on a task
Improving these abilities leads to more efficient visual processing and greater confidence in all areas of life—from classroom learning to sports performance to daily comfort.
Why Choose Lynn Valley Optometry
Our Vision Therapy Centre is led by optometrists with advanced training in neuro-optometric rehabilitation and developmental vision care. Each program is carefully designed to address the root cause of visual difficulties, not just the symptoms.
Through evidence-based testing, structured progress tracking, and compassionate guidance, our goal is to help every patient reach their full visual potential.
Learn More
If you or your child are struggling with reading, focus, coordination, or post-concussion vision symptoms, you may benefit from a vision therapy assessment. Email us at visiontherapy@lynnvalleyoptometry.com.
Comments