Vision Therapy Questions, Answered.
The questions South Florida families ask us most — about vision therapy, evaluations, what it costs, and how insurance really works here.
Therapy, Evaluations and Results
What is vision therapy?
Vision therapy is an individualized, doctor-supervised program of activities that improves how the eyes and brain work together — eye teaming, tracking, focusing, and visual processing. Think of it as physical therapy for the visual system. Read the full explanation →
How is a vision therapy evaluation different from a regular eye exam?
A routine exam checks eye health and how clearly each eye sees. Our evaluation also measures how the two eyes coordinate, track, and focus together, and how the brain processes what they see — the skills behind comfortable reading and sustained attention. See what an evaluation includes →
My child has 20/20 vision. Can they still have a vision problem?
Yes. 20/20 only measures clarity at distance. A child can read the eye chart perfectly and still struggle with eye teaming, tracking, or focusing at reading distance — which is exactly what affects reading and learning. School and pediatrician screenings usually check distance acuity only. Why 20/20 isn’t the whole picture →
Does vision therapy really work?
For the conditions it targets — such as convergence insufficiency, certain forms of amblyopia and strabismus, and post-concussion visual dysfunction — vision therapy is supported by research and decades of clinical practice. The right starting point is an evaluation to confirm whether it fits your situation. Read about the evidence →
What ages do you treat?
Children and adults. Visual skills can be developed well beyond childhood, which is why we work with everyone from young children to adults recovering from a concussion.
How long does a program take?
It depends on the diagnosis and the goals. Most programs run 12 to 32 weeks with one, two, or three sessions a week, plus short daily home activities — and after the evaluation the doctor gives you a specific timeline rather than a vague estimate. How long therapy takes →
Can vision therapy help after a concussion?
Often, yes. Many lingering post-concussion symptoms — double vision, light sensitivity, dizziness, reading fatigue — are visual at their root. Learn about vision rehabilitation →
We’re not sure any of this applies to us. Where do we start?
Start with the symptoms. Our checklist takes a few minutes and tells you whether an evaluation is the sensible next step. Take the symptom checklist → or browse the problems we treat →
Cost, Insurance and Payment
“Do you take my insurance?”
This is by far our most commonly asked question. We are considered out of network on all medical plans and an open-access provider on vision plans, which means we do not accept assignment directly from any insurance provider or vision discount plan. We do that on purpose: it is how we keep the quality of care high and our prices as low as possible. Our upfront fees for services, frames and lenses are published, and in many cases our in-house plan, the EyeQ Club, saves families more than using their vision benefits. If you do have a vision plan, payment is still due at the time of service and we give you a detailed superbill with the procedure and diagnosis codes your plan needs — and on request we will file the claim for you as a courtesy. Either way the plan reimburses you rather than us: it mails the check to you. Call the office before your visit and a team member will tell you what to expect with your particular plan.
See our upfront fees → Insurance information → About the EyeQ Club →
How much does vision therapy cost?
It depends on what the evaluation finds, because every program is built around the individual. Most programs run 12 to 32 weeks with one, two, or three sessions a week, and sessions typically fall in the $100–$200 range depending on the length of the session and how often you come in. If cost is the obstacle, say so — we award scholarships to two patients each month, and our team can walk you through the options. See cost & price →
Do you offer financing or payment plans?
Yes. We offer a variety of payment options, including extended monthly payments. We also offer CareCredit, which provides zero-percent financing for up to 18 months and payment options extending up to 60 months. Payment options in detail →
Will my insurance cover my visit?
Vision therapy may be covered in part by your medical insurance. We are considered out of network on all insurance plans, so payment is due at the time of service and we give you the superbill — the procedure and diagnosis codes your plan needs — to submit for reimbursement. On request we will file evaluation and therapy claims for you as a courtesy. What comes back depends on your own out-of-network benefits. Call a team member with any question about insurance or claim submissions. How reimbursement works →
What does the first evaluation cost?
Evaluation fees are published rather than quoted case by case, so you know the number before you book. See evaluation fees → · What the evaluation includes →
What if we don’t have a vision plan?
That is common here, and it is not a problem. You can be seen as a cash-pay patient at our published fees, or join the EyeQ Club — our in-house plan, which for many families saves more than vision benefits would.
Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, Developmental Optometrist
“What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?”
Optometrists and ophthalmologists are two different types of eye doctors. An easy way to remember the difference is to think of an optometrist as an “eye doctor” and an ophthalmologist as an “eye surgeon.”
Pediatric / developmental optometrist
An optometrist completes four years of undergraduate study and four additional years of graduate optometry school to become a Doctor of Optometry. Whatever kind of trouble your child is having with their vision, the optometrist is the eye doctor to take them to first.
A pediatric optometrist is trained to administer medical eye examinations and vision development tests and — more importantly — to diagnose diseases of the eye that can cause serious problems. An optometrist will prescribe medicine, perform in-office minor procedures and therapy, and prescribe eyeglasses or pediatric contact lenses. If surgery is necessary, the optometrist decides what type of surgery would be best, at what age it is optimal, which surgeon would be the right one to use, and provides all of the pre- and post-surgical care.
A pediatric eye doctor is also trained to provide vision care to children with special needs — including children with Down syndrome, children on the autism spectrum, nonverbal children, premature infants, and children with low vision or cortical blindness.
Pediatric ophthalmologist
An ophthalmologist goes to medical school for four years to become a physician, completes three years of residency to become a general eye surgeon, and then a year of fellowship to decide which specific type of eye surgery they will perform full time. Pediatric eye surgery is one of those fellowship options, and a pediatric ophthalmologist is trained to perform general routine eye surgeries on children.
If your child needs “lazy eye” muscle surgery, that is a different fellowship again — a strabismus surgeon. Cosmetic or reconstructive surgery after a trauma calls for an oculoplastic surgeon experienced with children. Retinoblastoma eye cancer calls for an ocular oncologist. Depending on what your child needs, you may benefit from one of ten completely different types of eye surgeon. Who keeps track of which is which, which ones are in network with your insurance, and which one matches your needs? Your pediatric optometrist.
Which should I choose?
Even if you suspect your child has a very serious eye condition or disease, your first appointment should always be with an optometrist. The optometrist evaluates your child’s eye health and vision to identify and treat any vision-impairing medical condition, and if a surgical problem is suspected your child is referred to the very specific ophthalmologist who specializes in that issue. It works much like seeing your family doctor or pediatrician and then being referred on to a medical specialist.
“What is a developmental optometrist?”
A developmental optometrist — also often called a behavioral or functional optometrist — specializes in behavioral optometry: the area of optometry concerned with how your eyes and visual system function, how your behavior affects your vision, and how your vision influences your behavior.
Every optometrist checks the physical condition and health of a patient’s eyes along with their acuity. In the case of children, a pediatrician’s check or a school screening is often testing distance acuity only — 20/20, 20/40, 6/6 — which is only part of the picture when you are evaluating the full visual process.
Developmental optometrists perform standard eye exams too, but they also run additional tests to determine whether a patient has developed the visual skills needed to perform the tasks their day demands, especially at work or at school. They are also specialists in lazy eye (amblyopia) and crossed or wandering eyes (strabismus).
Meet Christina Murray, OD, FOVDR → · Comprehensive exam vs. developmental exam →
Booking Your First Visit
Which office should we go to?
We have four offices — Coconut Creek, Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton. Every new patient starts with a developmental vision evaluation, and those take place at Boynton Beach or Boca Raton. Once the evaluation is done, weekly therapy can run at whichever office is most convenient. See locations →
How do we get started?
It starts with a comprehensive evaluation. Schedule an Evaluation online, or call us at (561) 462-1245.
Still Have Questions?
Call us and ask. If you would rather see where you stand first, the symptom checklist takes a few minutes and tells you whether an evaluation is the sensible next step.