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Orthoptic Eye Exercises

Orthoptic eye exercises are part of the optometric treatment methodology known as vision therapy. Orthoptics dates back to the 1850s and is designed to help alleviate eye abnormalities such as strabismus (crossed eyes), amblyopia (lazy eye) and double vision. It is not to be confused with so-called vision improvement courses offered or sold directly to the public. Orthoptic exercises are directed and chosen for patients after thorough examination and evaluation of their eyes, eye movement and ability to see, including their perceptual abilities related to reading and cognition.

  1. Orthoptics: Goals and Treatment Plans

    • Orthoptics is designed to help strengthen the muscles responsible for eye movement and help them work together in ways that improve abnormal eyesight and eye behavior. Orthoptics focuses on eye teaming and visual clarity or acuity. Some optometrists prefer to conduct patients' orthoptic exercises in their offices under direct supervision. Others provide an exercise regimen for home use. Some mix supervised treatment with self-directed exercises.

    Orthoptic Exercises

    • Push-up exercises require patients to focus on the tip of a pencil as it moves toward the eyes and appears to become two pencils when the eyes no longer converge. Convergence improves gradually through practice. In jump convergence exercises, patients move an optical target toward their face until it becomes blurred or doubled. Changing the eyes' fixation back and forth between this close-up target and a more distant one helps improve convergence. Other exercises use different focusing aids to help the eye muscles learn normal behavior.

    Orthoptics as Part of Vision Therapy

    • Optometrists can prescribe orthoptic exercises as part of a broader course of vision therapy. This overall therapeutic regimen can include the use of eyeglasses with special corrective, therapeutic or prismatic lenses, as well as eye patches, software, equipment to improve balance and training devices that integrate the eyes and other senses with more general motor skills.

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