My practice includes a combination of traditional eye care, vision therapy,
and holistic medicine which includes natural eye care, diet, nutrition, and
lifestyle evaluation in relation to one's vision problems.
For more information on nutrition, diet and lifestyle considerations for maintaining healthy vision, please visit my other website at www.naturaleyecare.com
What is Behavioral Optometry?
What is Behavioral Optometry?
You may not be aware of it, but your visual system brings you much information about
your world. When you look at something, you don't just "see" with your eyes; you
inspect, discriminate, identify and interpret - all as a part of your visual system.
Behavioral optometry is an expanded area of optometric practice. When you visit your
behavioral optometrist, you may notice a difference in your examination. You will
find that you are tested for very specific visual skills. You may find that many of
your questions about vision care are answered. And you will receive the clinical
guidance you need to develop the skills which provide for an efficient visual system.
Why Behavioral Optometry?
Our ancestors had hunter's eyes for survival in the wilderness; their vision was
designed for spotting game and enemies at a distance.
In the last 100 years we have been forced to deal with sustained, near visual tasks
and the resulting stress on the visual system has produced many symptoms and problems.
If you experience headaches, blurred vision, tired, itchy or watery eyes or other
vision linked problems, you may already know how uncomfortable sustained visual
stress can feel. Your discomfort may be related to the heavy vision load of working
at near distances.
If you are a student, you may read almost three times the number of textbooks your
grandparents did. If you are employed in an office, you probably use your visual
system for hours of close-up work. If you work with computers, you may spend much
of your day looking at a computer screen. These tasks can all contribute to visual
stress.
Even if you have "20/20 eyesight," you may have difficulty working at close tasks.
The term "20/20" means you can see well at distances of 20 feet or more, it does
not usually refer to how well you see at 12-16 inches, the distance at which you
do most of your close work.
There is a Solution.
Dr. Grossman has studied the effects of stress on vision. Through the use of carefully
selected stress-relieving and preventive lenses and visual training, you can enjoy
relief from even the most stressful close-up visual conditions.
More about Behavioral Optometrists
Dr. Grossman takes a holistic approach to vision care. You are treated as a whole
person and your visual problem as a part of the whole system. Your behavioral
optometrist works with you and your children, rather than doing something to you.
You and your children will receive help in developing the important visual skills
you may need to reach academic and professional goals.
Even the visual achievement of successful learners and earners can be enhanced through
behavioral optometric care.
Who Needs a Behavioral Optometrist?
Behavioral vision care is useful to virtually all patients. However, the following
individuals will especially benefit:
- Children of all ages, but especially children just starting school.
- Children who are having trouble with reading and learning
- Children who seem to be uncoordinated in visually demanding sports.
- Children who are considered " behavioral problems."
- Children who are reading "below their potential."
- Anyone who participates in athletics and wants improved performance.
- Anyone who works at a computer.
- Anyone who has a visually demanding job.
- Anyone who suffers from burning, itchy eyes, eye strain or visual fatigue
(with no medical eye problem).
More Good News
If Dr. Grossman prescribes visual training (also called vision therapy) for
you, and even if your medical insurance does not cover eyeglass prescriptions,
your major medical may cover visual training.
Visual training often falls under the category of physical therapy. It usually
involves a series of visits during which you perform specific activities to
remediate your vision problem under the supervision of a professional.
The office staff can help you determine if your policy covers visual training
and with their help, you can submit the proper claim and receive entitled
benefits.