Crossed eyes vision therapy (Strabismus) in Atlanta

Does Vision Therapy work for treating crossed eyes?

Yes, many cases of crossed eyes can be positively impacted by vision therapy.

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Read

Dr. David Cook’s “Success in Optometric Vision Therapy for Strabismus Based on a Case Series of 75 Patient’s.”

The study showed that after vision therapy 65 of 75 (over 85%) patients with eyes turning inward (esotropia) or outward (exotropia) had both cosmetically aligned eyes and improved two-eyed depth perception (stereopsis/ 3D vision). The patients treated varied between five and fifty-five years of age.

Dr. Cook’s study also explored strabismus and quality of life. Changes were seen not only in cosmetic alignment but in confidence, comfort, clarity, sustained reading, grades in school, attention, concentration, coordination, sports, and night driving.

“Before therapy my left eye was stuck over in the right corner of that eye and because of that I was very embarrassed and had low self-esteem. My right eye was very tired and both eyes were red all the time. Since therapy both eyes are straight and clear. I am no longer embarrassed and am happy to interact with other people because I don’t have to worry about what my left eye is doing or what they are thinking about my eye.”

“The double vision I was experiencing has gone and I am able to focus at most every direction more easily. Reading and using the computer terminal is much easier. Driving is not scary anymore and is not the challenge to stay steady as previously experienced. I have learned to compensate for focusing problems to the point it is a natural reflex in using my eyes and I do not have eye strain as in the past.”

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What Causes Strabismus?

Each eye has seven muscles, six on the outside of the eyeball and one on the inside. The outside muscles move the eye. The inside muscle keeps things clear. Occasionally, Strabismus is caused by a “damaged” outside eye muscle. Usually, however, an eye deviates because the BRAIN fails to coordinate the twelve out-side-of-the-eyeball muscles to correctly position the two eyes.

The reason for this lack of coordination is, as yet, unknown. Sometimes the condition runs in families. Sometimes a child has many other developmental problems such as poor speech or deficient eye-hand and eye-body coordination and the strabismus seems to be another symptom of this general coordination problem.

Understanding Strabismus and Its Impact

Strabismus occurs when one eye turns inward, outward, upward, or downward, disrupting the brain’s ability to merge images from both eyes. This misalignment can cause:

Double or blurred vision
Chronic eye strain and headaches
Amblyopia (lazy eye) in children if untreated

While congenital cases are common, strabismus can also stem from trauma, neurological disorders, or uncorrected refractive errors. Early intervention is critical to prevent permanent vision loss.

Vision Therapy: A Non-Surgical Treatment for Strabismus

Vision therapy is a customized program combining eye exercises, prism lenses, and digital tools to strengthen communication between the eyes and brain. Unlike surgery, which adjusts eye muscles physically, vision therapy addresses the root cause by enhancing neurological control over eye alignment. Studies, including a 2022 trial in Optometry and Vision Science, report over 70% success rates in improving eye coordination through structured therapy.

Key benefits include:

No downtime or surgical complications
Personalized plans for children and adults
Sustainable improvements in binocular vision

For lasting results, consult a board-certified vision therapy specialist to explore whether this non-surgical approach aligns with your needs.

While many forms of strabismus involve impaired neurological coordination between the eyes and brain, other cases include refractive, mechanical, congenital, or structural contributors, which may require different or combined treatment approaches.

Learn More about Non-Surgical Treatment

How Vision Therapy Corrects Strabismus: 4 Key Mechanisms

Vision therapy addresses strabismus by targeting eye-brain coordination, muscle strength, and neural adaptability.
Here’s how it works:

Strengthening Eye Muscles

Targeted exercises like pencil push-ups (focusing on a slowly moving object) improve ocular muscle control, enabling better alignment of misaligned eyes.

Enhancing Binocular Vision

Activities such as 3D stereogram training teach both eyes to work in sync, resolving double vision and restoring depth perception for daily tasks like driving or reading.

Rewiring Neural Pathways

By leveraging neuroplasticity, therapy retrains the brain to process signals from both eyes simultaneously, critical for merging images into a single, clear view.

Gradual Skill Progression

Programs start with simple tracking exercises and advance to complex tasks (e.g., shifting focus between near/far objects), ensuring sustainable improvements in visual function.

Treatment Age

We work with adults and school-age children. Because vision therapy requires a degree of cooperation and understanding, we typically do not see children under the age of five for in-office vision therapy. Depending on the circumstances, we may see younger children and suggest home activities, but only if the child has already been examined by a pediatric ophthalmologist and the parents are fully committed to working with the child at home.

Who Benefits Most?

Vision therapy is effective for children and adults, with outcomes tailored to age and condition severity

Best for

Intermittent exotropia (outward-turning eyes), accommodative esotropia (inward-turning due to focusing strain), and convergence insufficiency.

Children

Early intervention (ages 3-8) capitalizes on developing neural pathways, often achieving permanent corrections for issues like accommodative esotropia.

Adults

While progress may take longer, adults benefit from improved alignment and reduced symptoms in conditions like intermittent exotropia, thanks to disciplined adherence to therapy.

What Does a Vision Therapy Program Involve?

1. Initial Evaluation

A comprehensive eye exam by a board-certified optometrist assesses:

Eye alignment and tracking ability
Binocular vision deficits (e.g., suppression)
Medical history (e.g., trauma, neurological issues)

A personalized plan is then created, targeting specific weaknesses like convergence insufficiency or gaze instability.

2. Therapy Exercises

Core activities focus on:

Eye teaming: Using tools like stereoscopes to merge images from both eyes.
Convergence/divergence training: Brock String exercises to control inward/outward eye movements.
Focus shifting: Alternating focus between near/far objects to improve flexibility.
Anti-suppression techniques: Red-filter glasses to strengthen the weaker eye’s input.

3. Duration and Frequency

Office visits: Weekly 30-60 minute sessions with a therapist.
Home exercises: Daily 15-20 minute drills (e.g., pencil push-ups, computer-based tasks).
Progress checks: Monthly assessments to adjust difficulty and goals.

How Effective Is Vision Therapy for Strabismus?

Vision therapy is clinically proven to improve eye alignment, binocular vision, and daily visual function. Studies, including a 2023 Journal of Vision Development meta-analysis, show 65-80% success rates for strabismus patients, especially when paired with glasses or patching.

However, success requires consistent effort: results often take 6-12 weeks to manifest, with full improvements seen after 6-12 months of structured therapy.

Learn more about Strabismus Non-Surgical Cure Rates

Key benefits include:

Improved eye coordination: Reduces double vision and enhances focus accuracy.

Stronger depth perception: Critical for tasks like driving or sports.

Reduced surgical reliance: Prevents or complements surgery by addressing neuromuscular root causes.

About Cook Vision Therapy Center

At Cook Vision Therapy Center in Atlanta, we offer non-surgical strabismus therapy with over 30 years of experience helping patients across Georgia. Our goal is to not only straighten eyes but also enhance 3D vision and eye-body coordination for school, work, sports, and driving.

We address issues like headaches, eyestrain, and homework frustration while improving reading, self-esteem, and depth perception. Our therapy also focuses on aligning crossed eyes for improved appearance and social confidence, and we help patients, including those recovering from traumatic brain injuries, regain productive and fulfilling lives.