Can Vision Therapy Treat ADHD?

A lot of kids with ADHD don’t respond well to conventional treatments. It’s not that they’re not trying or don’t want to get better. They just can’t. And many adults with ADD/ADHD have had the same experience. But what if there was another way? 


What if you could use your own eyes as a tool to treat this condition? Well, that’s exactly what vision therapy is all about! 


Read on as a vision therapy optometrist Washington, DC talks about vision therapy and how it can help both children and adults see improvement in managing ADHD symptoms.


What Is Vision Therapy?

Vision therapy is a non-invasive treatment that helps to improve visual skills. It can be used to treat a variety of problems, including ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities and many eye disorders, such as lazy eye, strabismus, and convergence insufficiency.


Vision therapy works by improving the way your eyes work together so you can see better. The process involves using exercises to improve how your eyes work together as a team. The overall goal works to improve your visual skills and abilities, which can help you (or your child) better manage symptoms of ADHD. 


How Does Vision Therapy Work?

The process of vision therapy involves working on specific activities that are designed to help you see better. These activities include:

  • Eye exercises (like tracking movements)
  • Reading tasks and games that require you to focus on small details or letters in order to read them correctly without making mistakes
  • Eye games that challenge your ability to see objects quickly and accurately
  • Computer tasks that help you focus on specific areas of a screen without getting distracted by other parts of the screen


The therapist will test your vision, then teach you exercises to improve your visual skills. The exercises help with:

  • Focus and attention span
  • Tracking and following objects with the eyes
  • Visual memory and processing 
  • Visual motor coordination 
  • Visual perception


This treatment is designed to improve these skills, which are often impaired in people with ADD/ADHD and other learning disabilities such as dyslexia. Vision therapy can also be used in combination with other treatments, like medication and/or behavioral therapy.


Who Is a Good Candidate for Vision Therapy for ADHD?

You may be a candidate for vision therapy if you:

  • Have problems with focus and concentration
  • Experience mental fatigue within short periods of time
  • Struggle with reading and writing
  • Have difficulty following text across the page or screen
  • Frequently experience eye strain or headaches after using computers or video games for long periods of time


If you have more questions or wish to schedule a consultation, please don’t hesitate to call us, your local vision therapy optometrist Washington, DC, anytime!