[Aer-div07] FW: [AERNet] vision therapy research

[Leah Gerlach]

I have been reading this discussion with great interest as it is one
being held all over the country. My one comment is that the issues for
these students seem to be more of a learning disability than that of a
vision impairment. If the parents or the children are not successful
with the training prescribed should they not be focusing on the learning
disability factors the same as a child with dyslexia.

Leah Gerlach
630-690-7115 ext 324
Deicke Center for Visual Rehabilitation
www.deicke.org 

-----Original Message-----
From: aer-div07-bounces at lists.aerbvi.org
[mailto:aer-div07-bounces at lists.aerbvi.org] On Behalf Of
c.gannon at comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 3:16 PM
To: Duane Geruschat; Jim Gandorf; aer-div07 at lists.aerbvi.org
Subject: Re: [Aer-div07] FW: [AERNet] vision therapy research

This is a wonderful explanation, Duane. I have been getting more and
more of these referrals and have been challenged with how to explain
that this is not within the scope of my expertise nor responsibility as
a TVI.

The problem comes when those seeking my involvement point out that these
students are having difficulty successfully participating in educational
activities because their eyes are not functioning properly. Even if
vision therapy is recommended, unless and until the therapy is completed
and is successful, would I not be a person whose services should be
sought? 

In many cases, the therapy may not be successful because the exercises
are not being done to the extent that the OD prescribes, usually because
they are tedious - kids don't like to do them and parents get tired
struggling with them to do them. 

 Also, these children often have problems with depth judgment so my
services as a COMS are sought.

So, if the success of the therapy is questionable and/or a parent
decides not to engage in it, do these eye teaming problems eventually
resolve on their own?  And, in the meantime, what can be done for the
student during the time in their life when vision is critical to
developing the skills & proficiency in learning to read?  

Would love to hear from others about this challenging subject. 

Cheryl Gannon

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Duane Geruschat" <dgeruschat at jhmi.edu>
> These therapies have limited or no application for our population.
For example, 
> the second article on convergence insufficiency assumes the child is
binocular 
> (you don't converge with one eye).  While we do serve VI children who
are 
> binocular, the vast majority are either biocular or monocular.  The
reason for 
> their lack of binocularity will not be solved by therapy, it's due to
large 
> differences in VA and the inability of the cortex to fuse the images.

> 
> On occasion these sorts of articles are submitted to JVIB.  I return
them to the 
> author unless they specifically have children with VI as the subjects.
Subjects 
> who are fully sighted students with the types of problems discussed in
these 
> articles do not provide information that is easily transferred to our
students 
> anymore than studies with fully sighted students wearing blindfolds
can give 
> meaningful information for the ways we educate students who are blind.

> 
> When I'm asked why we are "denying" children this therapy, I often use
the 
> example of PT.  We don't do medical PT, we provide PT for educational
purposes.  
> We provide educational services to children who cannot be returned to
20/20 
> binocular vision.  If a child can, through therapy achieve 20/20 and 
> binocularity, the service is outside of the scope that is provided
through the 
> school.
> 
> Duane Geruschat
> 
> >>> Jim Gandorf <jgandorf at aerbvi.org> 11/27/2007 3:27 PM >>>
> This message posted to the AERNet list serve and received little
comment.
> Cross posting now to the AER Low Vision Division list serve.
> 
>  
> 
> From: aernet-bounces at lists.aerbvi.org 
> [mailto:aernet-bounces at lists.aerbvi.org] On Behalf Of Sheila Amato
> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 4:57 PM
> To: aernet at lists.aerbvi.org 
> Subject: [AERNet] vision therapy research
> 
>  
> 
> hello, all - the topic of vision therapy surfaces occasionally on our
> listserv. I do believe that I've always read that there is no
quantitative
> data to prove that it works. I mentioned that concern to a local
optometrist
> and he sent me 2 research studies that advocate for vision therapy as
a
> proven intervention for convergence insufficiency and some of the
other
> issues involving binocular vision and eye teaming. 
> 
>  
> 
> I'm going to attempt to attach these two files; I don't know if they
will
> make it through the Aernet filter. If they do, I would appreciate your
> thoughts on this research. If they don't make it through, I will
gladly
> forward them to anyone who wants to receive them if you send me your
email
> address off list. 
> 
>  
> 
> Sheila
> 
> brltrans at verizon.net 
> 
> 
> 
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