{"id":7351,"date":"2020-08-15T18:47:44","date_gmt":"2020-08-15T18:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=7351"},"modified":"2021-07-14T18:53:12","modified_gmt":"2021-07-14T18:53:12","slug":"vision-therapy-for-autism-success-stories","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/vision-therapy-for-special-needs\/autism-vision\/vision-therapy-for-autism-success-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Vision Therapy for Autism: Success Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Personal stories of children with autism who completed vision therapy for underlying vision problems.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

*Names have been changed for privacy protection.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for a list of more success stories pages, you might just recognize your child in.<\/p>\n

Kyle, age 11<\/b><\/p>\n

My son, Kyle, had \u2018throwing and catching a ball\u2019 on his IEP for about 6 years, because we knew improving coordination and reciprocal play was important. After all that time, he still was not able to catch even a beach ball. It simply bounced off his stomach and then he moved his arms, sometimes, but too late.<\/p>\n

A vision examination two years ago revealed that Kyle had, among other things, significant convergence problems and could not focus on a fast moving object. His eyes were working independently, rather than together , so that he saw two pictures instead of one.<\/p>\n

In other words, he never accurately saw the ball as it moved, he only saw it after it stopped. Once the ball was still, he willingly retrieved it and brought it to you.<\/p>\n

We began doing the prescribed eye exercises at home for about 10 minutes a day; it seemed more like play than work. After three weeks, Kyle was catching tennis balls!<\/p>\n

In addition to enabling Kyle to see moving objects, vision therapy has improved his reading efficiency and comfort, increased his depth perception and improved horizontal and vertical eye tracking, imperative for math and reading music). These exercises also decreased Kyle’s overuse of peripheral vision, reduced his gaze (and task) avoidance, and decreased eye poking and other physical signs of visual strain.<\/p>\n

Kyle also wears glasses with prisms lenses to slightly tilt his visual field upward, which helps him to look forward rather than down.<\/p>\n

Audrey A., Kyle’s parent<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jimmy, age 12<\/b><\/p>\n

Our family began vision therapy when it was recommended to us by our son’s speech therapist and audiologist, along with other therapies. At that time our son was receiving many other therapies to help him deal with autism, including allergy medications, music therapy, auditory training (three times), speech therapy, sensory integration therapy, craniosacral therapy, and the medications Naltrexone, Trilafon, vitamin C, and a multivitamin.<\/p>\n

We were nervous to add a new therapy that we did not understand, but followed the advice of a valued and trusted therapist. Our first visit was an eye-opener. We did not believe that our 12 year old son would tolerate wearing the glasses because he is very touch sensitive.<\/p>\n

As soon as his eye exam was over and the doctor told Jimmy to pick himself out a pair of glasses, he did it! He tried glasses on and even looked in the mirror to see how he looked in them!<\/p>\n

Jimmy wore his glasses with no problem. On the way home we stopped at the park to walk on a trail. This was always a gambit because Jimmy had a strong fear of all animals, and if someone was walking their dog Jimmy would jump up on our backs to safety until the dog was gone out of sight. On this day a very large and mean looking dog passed us on the trail and Jimmy was not afraid. He simply looked at the dog as if, “Huh! So that is what a dog looks like. No big deal.” He had only had his glasses for thirty minutes and already our lives were changed.<\/p>\n

Before vision therapy he spent long periods of time staring trance-like into space, even as he walked. After vision therapy, Jimmy began to visually investigate his immediate environment. He is now investigating his therapists’ offices as though seeing them for the first time. He plays with his toys more appropriately instead of tapping them or making rows of them.<\/p>\n

At age 13, Jimmy can now tie his own shoes. He is able to do this now because he has learned to “look” at what he is doing. He always puts his clothes on by himself, front-ways, and is very proud of this accomplishment. Before, dressing was hit-or-miss, with clothes put on backwards, or shoes on the wrong feet. Jimmy cares about his appearance now.<\/p>\n

All of his other therapies have benefited from vision therapy as well. His progress in speech therapy has skyrocketed! He was basically non-verbal a year ago, and now uses speech to communicate. He makes eye contact while communicating with no trouble — before now, eye contact was fleeting.<\/p>\n

School is as different as night from day since vision therapy began. Jimmy has a longer attention span, follows instructions better, listens more closely and can sit for longer periods of time. Socially, he is much happier. He wants to be in our company at home, instead of shut in his bedroom. He used to cry when told we were going out, but Jimmy loves outings in the community now, asking to go places every day.<\/p>\n

Our life together has definitely changed! Our son is still autistic, and in need of years more of his therapies, but he now makes steady progress and is happy and proud of himself. He likes himself and wants to be an active part of his family, community and world.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Roxane B., Jimmy’s parent<\/b><\/p>\n

Schedule an appointment<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0with a vision therapy eye doctor so that your child can be apart of these success stories.<\/p>\n

SEE RELATED:<\/strong> Outsmarting Autism<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t

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Find an eye doctor for children near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t
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