Objective Measurements of Reading Eye Movements Improve After Vision Therapy

Dr. Tannen’s Research Review and Commentary:

In this retrospective study, 46 patients who were diagnosed with oculomotor-based reading dysfunction received an average of 29 sessions of vision therapy.  Statistically significant improvements were found for all parameters of eye movement recordings following completion of vision therapy.  In addition, 93% of the patients reported subjective improvement after the vision therapy, including a marked reduction in at least one or more of their primary symptoms. 

Objective measurements of reading speed and efficiency improve in children diagnosed with oculomotor-based reading dysfunctions following vision therapy: a retrospective analysis
Barry Tannen, Noah Tannen, and Kenneth Ciuffreda (COVD Annual Meeting 2010)

Abstract:

Purpose:

 A retrospective analysis was conducted to assess objectively reading speed and efficiency with the Visagraph II Eye Movement System (Visagraph) following vision therapy (VT) in children with signs and symptoms of oculomotor-based reading dysfunctions.

Methods:

46 children between the ages of 8-17 years from the primary author’s private practice met the following criterion: symptoms of oculomotor-based reading dysfunctions (e.g. loss of place when reading, skipping lines, etc), and Visagraph recordings where both reading speed and grade level equivalent were below their grade level. To be included in the analysis, VT had to both be recommended and completed during the years 2007-2009. All of these patients had Pre and Post VT Visagraph recordings using an amended protocol (Tannen and Ciuffreda, JBO, 2007) which calls for two recordings taken at the patient’s Independent Reading Level (aIRL) with the second one being used for analysis, and one recording taken at least two grade levels below the patient’s Independent Reading Level (bIRL). VT consisted of standard optometric vision therapy procedures for remediation of accommodation, binocularity, and oculomotor function according to the patient’s individual status.

The average course of treatment was 29 (forty minute) sessions performed twice weekly.

 

 

Results:

Pre and Post VT Visagraph recordings were analyzed to determine if significant improvements in the various components of reading eye movements occurred after VT, and whether there was a difference in the Post VT Visagraph recordings of the aIRL group vs. the bIRL group. All Visagraph eye movement parameters improved significantly (p<.01) on a percentage basis following VT. Average aIRL improvement: Reading speed (51%), Grade level equivalent (134%), Fixations (34%), Regressions (45%), Span of Recognition (37%), Duration of Fixation (9%). Average bIRL improvement: Reading speed (54%), Grade level equivalent (138%), Fixations (42%), Regressions (63%), Span of Recognition (43%), Duration of Fixation (7%).

Conclusions:  

The results demonstrate significant improvements in all Visagraph parameters, both aIRL and to a greater degree bIRL. The latter suggests a primarily oculomotor basis for the improvement, and this appears to be reflected in the improvement aIRL as well. The positive objective findings in Visagraph measurements correlated well with symptom reduction that occurred in 93% of the patients.

Pre-post visagraph