The Atzmon study, for instance, is a controlled medical study which shows the efficacy of vision therapy for reading difficulties associated with certain types of eye muscle coordination problems. About the study, Firmon E. Hardenbergh, M.D., Chief of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmologist to the Harvard University Health services wrote:

“In my opinion, the prospective study was well planned and is essentially double blinded. . . The results support the proposition that application of orthoptics [a form of vision therapy] to all learning/reading disabled or deficient children who manifest convergence insufficiency [eye-teaming problems within arm’s reach] should be the first line of therapy . . .”

Fifty Scientific Studies and Articles Supporting the Use of Vision Therapy
1. Atzmon, D., Nemet, P., Ishay, A., Karni, E.: A randomized prospective masked and matched comparative study of orthoptic treatment versus conventional reading tutoring treatment for reading disabilities in 62 children. Binocular Vision and Eye Muscle Surgery Quarterly, 1993, pages 91-106.

2. Birnbaum, M.H., Koslowe, K., Sanet, R.: Success in amblyopia therapy as a function of age. A literature review. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1977, pages 269-75.

3. Birnbaum, M.H., Soden, R., Cohen, A.H.: Efficacy of vision therapy for convergence insufficiency in an adult male population. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1999, pages 225-232.

4. Buzzelli, A.R.: Stereopsis, accommodative and vergence facility: do they relate to dyslexia? Optometry and Visual Science, 1991, pages 842-846.

5. Ciufredda, K.J.: Goldrich S.G., Neary, C.: Use of eye movement auditory feedback in the control of nystagmus. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1982, pages 396-409.

6. Cohen, A.H., Soden, R.: Effectiveness of visual therapy for convergence insufficiencies for an adult population. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1984, pages 491-494.

7. Cooper, J., Duckman, R.: Convergence insufficiency: Incidence, diagnosis and treatment. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1978, pages 673-680.

8. Cooper, J., Feldman, J.: Operant Conditioning of fusional convergence ranges using random dot stereograms. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1980, pages 205-213.

9. Cooper, J., Selenow, A., Ciuffreda, K.J., et al.: Reduction of asthenopia in patients with convergence insufficiency after fusional vergence training. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1983, pages 982-989.

10. Cooper, J., Medow, N.: Intermittent exotropia basic and divergence excess type. Binocular Vision & Eye Muscle Surgery Quarterly, 1993, pages 185-216.

11. Cornsweet, T.N.: Training the visual accommodative system. Vision Research, 1973, page 713-715.

12. Daum, K.: The course and effect of visual training on the vergence system. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1982, pages 223-227.

13. Daum, K.M.: A comparison of the results of tonic and phasic training on the vergence system. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1983, pages 769-775.

14. Daum, K.: Predicting results in the orthoptic treatment of accommodative dysfunction. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1984, pages 184-189.

15. Duckman, R.H.: Effectiveness of visual training on a population of cerebral palsied children. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1980, pages 1013-1016.

16. Etting, G.: Strabismus therapy in private practice: cure rates after three months of therapy. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1978, pages 1367-73.

17. Farrar, R., Call, M., Maples, W.C., A comparison of the visual symptoms between ADD/ADHD and normal children. Optometry, 2001, pages 441-451.

18. Flax, N., Duckman, R.H.: Orthoptic treatment of strabismus. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1978, pages 1353-61.

19. Gallaway, M., Scheiman, M.: The efficacy of vision therapy for convergence excess. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1997, pages 81-85.

20. Garzia, R., Richman, J.: Accommodative facility: a study of young adults. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1982, pages 821-824.

21. Garzia, R.P.: The efficacy of visual training in amblyopia: A literature review. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1987, pages 393-404.

22. Goldrich, S.G.: Optometric therapy of divergence excess strabismus. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1980, pages 7-14.

23. Goldrich, S.G.: Oculomotor biofeedback and intermittent exotropia. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1982, pages 306-317.

24. Grisham, J.D., Bowman, M.C., Owyang, A., Chan, C.L.: Vergence orthoptics: validity and persistence of the training effect. Optometry and Vision Science, 1991, pages 441-451.

25. Halliwell, J.W., Solan, H.A.: The effects of a supplemental perceptual training program on reading achievement. Exceptional Children, 1972, pages 613-621.

26. Haynes, H.M., McWilliams, L.G.: Effects of training on near-far response time as measured by the distance rock test. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1979, pages 715-718.

27. Hennessey D., Iosue, R.: Relation of symptoms to accommodative infacility of school-aged children. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1984, page 177.

28. Hoffman, L., Cohen, A.H.: Effectiveness of non strabismic optometric vision training in a private practice. American Journal of Optometry and Archives of the American Academy of Optometry, 1973, pages 813-816.

29. Hoffman L.H.: Incidence of vision difficulties in children with learning disabilities. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1980, pages 447-451.

30. Hoffman, L.: The effect of accommodative deficiencies on the development level of perceptual skills. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1982, pages 254-262.

31. Hung, G.K., Ciuffreda, K.J., Semmlow, J.L.: Static vergence and accommodation: norms and orthoptic effects. Documents of Ophthalmology, 1986, pages 165-179.

32. Lieberman S.: The prevalence of visual disorders in a school for emotionally disturbed children. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1985, pages 800-805.

33. Levine, S., Ciuffreda K.J., Selenow, A., et al.: Clinical assessment of accommodative facility in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1985, pages 286-290.

34. Ludlam, W.M.: Orthoptic treatment of strabismus. American Journal of Optometry and Archives of the American Academy of Optometry, 1961, pages 369-388.

35. Ludlam, W.M., Kleinman, B.I.: The long range results of orthoptic treatment of strabismus. American Journal of Optometry and Archives of the American Academy of Optometry, 1965, pages 647-684.

36. Ludlam, W.M.: Visual training, the alpha activation cycle and reading. Journal of the American Optometric Association. 1979, pages 111-115.

37. Pavlidis, G.T.: Eye movements in dyslexia: Their diagnostic significance. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1985, pages 42-50.

38. Poynter, H.L., Schor C., Haynes, H.M., et al: Oculomotor functions in reading disability. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1982, pages
116-27.

39. Press, L.J.: The interface between ophthalmology and optometric vision therapy. Binocular Vision and Strabismus Quarterly, 2002, pages 6-11.

40. Richman, J.E.: Use of a sustained visual attention task to determine children at risk for learning problems. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1986, pages 20-26.

41. Saladin, J.J., Rick, J.O.: Effect of orthoptic procedures on stereoscopic acuities. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1982, pages 718-725.

42. Seiderman, A.S.: Optometric vision therapy—results of a demonstration project with a learning disabled population. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1980, pages 489-493.

43. Sheedy, J.E., Saladin J.J.: Association of symptoms with measures of oculomotor deficiencies. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1978, pages 670-676.

44. Solan, H.A., Ficarra, A.P.: A study of perceptual and verbal skills of disabled readers in grades 4, 5, and 6. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1990, pages 628-634.

45. Solan, H.A., Ficarra, A.P., Brannan, J.R., Rucker, F.: Eye movement efficiency in normal and reading disabled elementary school children: Effects of varying luminance and wavelength. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1998, pages 455-464.

46. Solan, H.A., Larson, S., Shelley-Tremblay, J., et al.: Role of visual attention in cognitive control of oculomotor readiness in students with reading disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2001, pages 107-118.

47.Suchoff, I.B., Petito, G.T.: The efficacy of visual therapy: Accommodative disorders and non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1986, pages 119-125.

48. Vaegan, J.L.: Convergence and divergence show large and sustained improvement after short isometric exercise. American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics, 1979, pages 23-33.

49. Wittenberg S., Brock F.W., Folsom, W.C.: Effect of training on stereoscopic acuity. American Journal of Optometry and Archives of the American Academy of Optometry, 1969, pages 645-653.

50. Zellers, J.A., Alpert, T.L. Rouse, M.W.: A review of the literature and a normative study of accommodative facility. Journal of the American Optometric Association, 1984, pages 31-37.