Behavioural Optometry

Vision and the motor visual system are our primary source for gathering information with 87% of learning occurring through the visual system.

Even subtle issues with the visual system can have a major impact on our efficiency and performance, even more so for children where these systems are still developing.

Children are usually born with the necessary hardware to allow the development of normal sensory skills, but it takes a busy childhood of play, exploration and experience to develop and train the software that controls what we take in from the world. If this software is not established properly, it can result in problems with the visual system and therefore learning. If undetected these problems can continue into adulthood.

Alex will explore these processes and use a range of treatments to help patients learn and function more efficiently. This can be applicable to any age group‚ not just to children, and can also be of direct benefit to those following accidents and with possible traumatic brain injury.

Intuitive Colorimeter™

We have recently invested in an Intuitive Colorimeter™ to guide patients in selecting an ophthalmic tint that reduces discomfort and perceptual distortion.

An examination with the Intuitive Colorimeter™ lasts about 20 minutes and enables the effects of hue, saturation and brightness to be explored systematically and efficiently whilst the eyes remain colour adapted. The shades available enable the tint to be precisely tailored to an individual’s needs. The prescribed tint is reproduced precisely in Cerium’s specially designed laboratory in the UK.

Take a look at this video of the Intuitive Colorimeter™

For more information see www.babo.co.uk

BABO also have a Facebook page for parents and friends.

Useful Resources

• Useful Information for Teachers and Parents (PDF)

• Parent Questionnaire (PDF)

• Teachers Questionnaire (Microsoft Word)

• Teachers Questionnaire (PDF)

• Fatty Acids in Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD – Can Nutrition Help? (by Alexandra J. Richardson) (PDF)

• The Science of Behavioural Optometry – Optometry Today article

A lot of people have been asking about coloured overlay assessment, I do not feel this is a stand alone front line test. While coloured overlays and lenses my well help, I feel that a full examination to assess eye aiming (vergence) and focusing (accommodation). When these are shown to be within normal limits then we can move on to assessing for helpful tints. There is a link to an online assessment here