Vision therapy techniques can correct not only visual problems, but also cognitive, emotional and physical difficulties. Based on the pioneering work of Dr Melvin Kaplan, this research-based book explains the basis of vision therapy, who it can help, and the outcomes it can bring. Visual perceptual problems can cause an array of difficulties, from reading and writing, to issues with balance, clumsiness, and tunnel vision. Severe symptoms can lead to a diagnosis of anxiety, depression, learning disability or even autism. In this groundbreaking book, Dr Kaplan shows how these symptoms point to interventions that change the way that the eyes process information, permanently counteracting visual deficits and impacting on behaviour. Case studies demonstrate how to plan and implement visual management programs according to a patient's symptoms, illustrating the wide range of life-changing results that vision therapy can achieve for people of all ages, regardless of severity of symptoms. Dr Kaplan also shares his expert knowledge of ambient yoked prisms - a tool that transforms light to alter visual stimulation, dramatically transforming perception and cognition. This accessible book presents readers - including parents and families, clinicians, and other professionals working with individuals with visual perception problems - with a comprehensive introduction to the benefits and methods of vision therapy.
Section 1: Foreword. Manuel F. Casanova, M.D. Overview. 1. Visual Perceptual Problems: An Introduction. 2. The Power of a Lens. 3. The Importance of Reading People. 4. Visual Management: From Transforming the Stimulus to Transforming the Behavior. Section 2: Visual Issues at Different Ages and Stages. 5. Visual Dysfunction in the Action-Orientated Child. 6. The High Cost of Skipping Steps. 7. Vision Dysfunction in the Thought-Oriented Adult. Section 3: Four Aspects of Visual Dysfunction: Anxiety, Memory Problems, Impaired Empathy, and Motion Sickness. 8. Visual Perceptual Impairment and Anxiety. 9. Visual Perceptual Impairment and Reduced Empathy. 10. Visual Perceptual Impairment and Issues with Consciousness and Memory. 11. Visual Perceptual Impairment and Motion Sickness. 12. A Look at the Research: Past, Present and Future. Afterword. Appendix I: The Kaplan Star Test. Appendix II: The Kaplan Nonverbal Battery.
Kaplan uses a range of therapies including glasses with prisms to address issues such as anxiety, depression, learning difficulties and 'even autism'... He believes that many diagnoses may be incorrect in that, once the visual weaknesses are addressed, the presenting symptoms often disappear... This is a fascinating book, which would be of interest to a wide audience, but also to those who work as or refer to behavioural optometrists.
