Eye Therapies

Vision therapy is also called behavioural optometry. Vision therapy uses eye exercises and prismatic lenses to correct visual problems such as lazy eye and crossed eyes. Many people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder have poor eye contact, use peripheral vision, look through objects and scan rather than look at specific objects. It is believed the correction of vision problems can have a positive effect on behaviour.

Irlen syndrome or scotopic sensitivity is a visual perception problem that results in light sensitivity, inefficient reading skills and reduced attention span. Some people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder find that Irlen lenses help them relax and have fewer perceptual difficulties.

Interview with Melvin Kaplan
http://www.autism.org/interview/kaplan.html

Vision Therapy, Autism, and Sensory Integration
http://www.visionhelp.com/autism.htm

Pemberton, A "Irlen scotopic sensitivity: a link to autism"
http://trainland.tripod.com/annep.htm

Autism and the Irlen Method
http://www.irlen.com/index_autism.html

PDD — other interventions
http://www.patientcenters.com/autism/news/other.html

Irlen H (1995) "Viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses" Communication 29 (1) Spring p 8-9.

Kaplan, Melvin (1996) "Postural orientation: modifications in autism in response to ambient lenses" Child Psychiatry and Human Development, Vol 27 No 2 Winter pp 81-91.

Schulman. Randy L (1994) "Optometry’s role in the treatment of autism" Journal of Optometric Vision Development Vol 25 Winter.

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