Visual Therapy

[essextolondon]

As name suggests I’m in Essex. Cut a long story short, my DD aged 6 has been under Orsett for the past 5 years as she suffers from an intermittent squint and is stereo blind (no 3D vision). They have always told me that as there’s no underlying condition causing it, they cannot patch the eyes etc but could only offer a surgery for cosmetic reasons. My daughter is now at an age where she is able to tell me properly what her sight is like and feel that resigning myself to encouraged view of ‘she was born with it so know no different’ line is unfair- it sounds awful! I feel a bit crap I’ve let it ride tbh.

I cannot see anything NHS wise but can see that BABO have some promising leads. So here’s my questions a) am I right in thinking there’s no hope of NHS help on this and b) how much does private VT cost?

I’ve been reading some cases of people who were able to restore 3D sight through VT so it seems an avenue worth chasing. DD is not acting her normal self - this started about the time they went to sitting down all day in year 1. I’m wondering if she’s plain exhausted from suppressing the issues caused by it and trying to focus all day. Thanks for your help everyone!

The NHS don't usually provide vision therapy (I say don't usually as there is one orthoptist I know of in Shropshire that does it under the HES), they don't provide it as the evidence is just not there to prove that it works consistently.

My professional experience is that is does work sometimes, so may be worth a go in your case to see if you can restore some binocularity and reduced the periods of squinting. The vision therapist I refer to doesn't appear t have a fixed charge, but patients have said they've paid between £90 and £200 per session.
I would say though if you haven't seen any improvement within a month, its unlikely to improve.