REFRACTIVE CONDITIONS: MYOPIA Definition: The inability to see things/focus far away; nearsightedness. When you hear the term myopia, it simply means that the patient with myopia is nearsighted. They can focus on things at near, but are unable to focus on things at a distance. Generally, myopia begins at a young age and progresses as the patient gets older. Myopia can also be inherited or can occur when a person does too much up close work such as reading or working on a computer. Myopia happens due to the curvature of the cornea being too much, and, as a result, the light that enters the eye is focused in front of the retina resulting in blur. Below is an image of light entering a normal eye and an image of light entering the eye of a person with myopia. As mentioned before, a patient with myopia cannot focus on things at a distance. We want to improve their accommodative flexibility, meaning their ability to focus from near to far and from far to near without hindrance. Vision therapy will not be a cure for the patient; however, it is beneficial, in that, they may have a reduction in prescription and enhanced visual acuity, as well as, a new ability to accommodate properly so that they can focus better on targets farther away. Symptoms/Characteristics:
When working with a patient who has myopia, you want to improve their accommodative flexibility. As mentioned before, this means improving their ability to focus properly. One activity that can be done in office, as well as, at home is Brock String. Below are instructions for this activity per OEPF website. PURPOSE - To give immediate feedback to the patient as to whether both eyes are turned on, whether they are both pointed to the same place in space, and whether their perception of where a target is matches its real location. Also to let them become more familiar with how it feels to converge and diverge. The activity provides visual feedback to the patient as they attempt to move to various points of space and maintain proper centering and identification at each point. After practice in the office, this procedure is assigned for homework.
(This activity can be loaded or unloaded as needed based upon the performance of the patient. Below is one way to load this activity per the OEPF website.)
BEAD JUMPING PURPOSE - To increase the ability to move from one point in space to another quickly and accurately and still maintain proper focus and depth perception. This activity uses visual feedback to allow the person to more quickly and accurately control the centering mechanism.
*Assignment*: Your assignment for this topic is to give your own description of myopia and how you would explain to a patient/parent that vision therapy can be beneficial. Also include an activity you would do with a patient who has myopia. Please be as descriptive as possible for the benefit of the group. Also, feel free to share any resources you may have that you think would be helpful.
2 Comments
Nancy Major
9/27/2017 12:28:29 pm
I received my COVT in 2015 and am working at Central Coast Vision and Learning in Templeton, CA. This is exciting. I am eager to become a part of this study group.
Reply
Miranda Roberts
9/29/2017 09:33:58 am
Hi Nancy! I received my certification in 2015 also. Were you in Vegas?
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
VT Study GroupThis group is public and open to anyone that would like to participate. I encourage everyone to comment with your answers to each assignment at the bottom of each post so that the group may benefit as a whole. If you are currently in the process of certification please inform your mentor that you have joined a study group and share the link with them- I do not want to leave anyone out of the loop. Archives
November 2017
COVD Certification Guide |