What is Behavioural Optometry?

 The goals of a behavioural Optometrist are:

• To develop and enhance visual skills needed to achieve more effective visual performance at work and play.
• To provide remediation or compensation for vision or eye problems that have already developed (eg. a turned eye, shortsightedness etc).
• To prevent vision and eye problems from developing.

To achieve these goals Behavioural Optometrists may recommend:

• Advice on visual ergonomics and work habits to prevent or reduce the possibility of eye problems developing.
• The use of appropriate spectacle lenses and prisms.
• Vision therapy to enhance or develop visual skills.
• Other optical aids or techniques such as patching for lazy eyes or the use of tinted or frosted lenses.

Traditional Optometry is summarised as "can we make you see better and are your eyes healthy". Behavioural Optometry still offers this traditional service but it goes further than just eyesight by also considering why is this problem here at this time and how can we make this visual system work better.

Behavioural Optometry is an expanded area of Optometric practice. A Behavioural Optometrist has the same University degree as all traditional Optometrists but has done specific training and post-graduate study. A Behavioural Optometrist has a holistic approach in the treatment of vision, eyesight and visual information processing difficulties.

A Behavioural Optometrist believes that your visual status and the way you interpret what you see does not depend solely on how clear your eyesight is. Consideration must also be given to all your visual, visual motor and visual perceptual skills. In this way a Behavioural Optometrist will not only consider correcting eyesight difficulties but also the benefits of prevention, protection and enhancement of your visual system in order to improve all aspects of your visual performance.

( adapted from www.acbo.org.au )