Visual Perceptual Therapy

Developed by Elsa du Plessis, the Visual Intelligence Protocol is an intervention to solve many ‘everyday’ learning difficulties. We focus on many different areas including gross motor, fine motor and all visual skills necessary to improve academic, social and sports performance.

Vision is the most important sense to humans and is also the most important sensory organ.

Unlike Behavioural Vision or traditional vision therapy, we focus on training the brain- not just the eye muscles. We use a multi-sensory approach and the program increases function and performance of the visual cells by directly stimulating the whole visual pathway from the eye to the visual cortex, which is responsible for processing our visual information. Traditional vision therapy only indirectly stimulates vision along the visual pathway or visual cortex.

There are many reasons why a child might struggle in school. Reading and learning are very complex processes that we are not born with but must learn as we grow. Vision’s main role is to learn and to guide us.

We need to learn how to easily maintain good attention and concentration, without tiring easily, blurriness, reading difficulties, headaches or poor school performance without excessive effort. Vision guides our fine motor control when we are writing and gross motor control when walking or doing sport. Vision is known as the “Queen” sense and is one we rely on heavily. Even the mildest of disruptions in our vision can cause significant difficulties with attention, concentration, learning, reading and visual comfort. These will dramatically impact on academic and sport achievements and social interactions, adults included. Treatment of visual problems is important for achieving full potential and we are glad that we get to change so many lives for the better.

20/20 vision doesn’t mean you have a perfect system. In fact, many people with 20/20 vision may struggle with:

Reading, writing and maths skills
Comprehension and creative writing
Catching, hitting or throwing a ball
Giving or following directions
Locating an object
Deficits in ocular motor control or visual processing
Eye not just see clearly have
Parallel parking when driving

Therapy sessions take place once a week at the office and the program lasts between 9-12 months. Clients with more difficulties have a longer program. Each program for adults and kids are tailored to the individual’s needs. There are 4 groups and some of the areas we focus on are:

Group 1: Monocular vision, midline crossing, eye movements, bilateral integration, balance, focus, memory, saccades, accommodation.

Group 2: Many areas of group 1 and eye alignment, eye teaming ability and coordination, movement accuracy, visual speed and integration, sequence, binocular vision, peripheral vision.

Group 3: Many areas of group 2 and stabilizing eyes at far point and near point, spatial orientation, spatial relationship, depth perception, 3D

Group 4: Many areas of group 3 and memory and recall- pattern, visualization, integration of all visual skills, depth perception, 3D, language skills, endurance and stamina.

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