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, humans have increasingly been forced to use near vision and to sustain near visual tasks for many hours per day. The resulting stress on the human visual system has produced many symptoms and problems.

If you experience headaches, blurred or blurry vision, tired, itchy or watery eyes or other vision linked problems, you may already know how uncomfortable sustained near 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 or smartphones, 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 for sustained periods of time. The term "20/20" means you can see well at distances of 20 feet or more, it does not 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.

Your behavioral optometrist 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 and Developmental Optometrists

Your behavioral optometrist 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 or learning.
• Children who seem to be uncoordinated in visually demanding sports.
• Children who are considered "behavior 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).

There's more to healthy vision than 20/20 eyesight!
Learn more about symptoms of visual problems which
affect reading, learning, school and sports success.