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The Vision Therapy Service at Boston Children’s Hospital specializes in vision training, a sequence of eye exercises that are used to improve the quality and efficiency of vision. Vision therapy helps your child’s eyes work more efficiently so that they can perform daily tasks, like reading and writing more easily. Vision therapy can improve fixation, pursuits, and saccades; problems relating to the focusing system of the eye; and problems with eye teaming abilities.

In addition to evaluation and treatment for vision problems, we also offer referrals to tutors or other experts in learning or neuropsychological development to help children who might be struggling in school.

What to expect

Vision therapy includes both in-office and home-based exercises. A typical program is made up of six, one-hour sessions of vision therapy scheduled at three-week intervals. At each in-office session, your child will receive instructions and materials for exercises that should be practiced at home for 20 to 30 minutes per day, at least five days a week.

Our expertise

There has been disagreement among professionals about the validity of vision therapy. At Boston Children’s, we’re in the process of establishing studies to help further understand its efficacy, especially with regard to vision and learning.