Regular vs Behavioral Optometry: What’s the Difference?

The difference between regular vs behavioral optometry is, as you might expect, a big one. However, despite this significant difference, the exact nature of behavioral optometry is not well understood. If you haven’t heard of this type of optometry before, you’re not alone. Like vision science, behavioral optometry is a growing field. And, complicating the matter is the fact that not all scientists are 100% on board with behavioral optometry (and for good reason – there are some bad actors out there!). However, when practiced well, behavioral optometry is a powerful tool that can improve vision issues at their root cause.

So, why are some eye care professionals opposed to behavioral optometry? Essentially, a behavioral optometrist is to a traditional optometrist as a chiropractor is to a spine doctor. Both behavioral optometrists and chiropractors operate outside the realm of established medicine and largely rely on their own alternative methods to achieve results.

So, sometimes behavioral optometry can feel a little shady. However, behavioral optometrists are also the professionals behind many of the eye exercises we discuss so much here at Rebuild Your Vision – eye exercises that have proven, scientific results. Today, we’re going to dive deeper into this interesting – and controversial – branch of optometry.

What Is Behavioral Optometry?

Just like chiropractors, behavioral optometrists, sometimes referred to as developmental optometrists, treat a variety of different disorders (both directly vision-related and not) with natural therapeutic practices. If your practitioner is purely a behavioral optometrist, you won’t find any pharmaceuticals or even corrective lenses used to treat refractive errors at their office. They also likely won’t have a medical school degree, although typically behavioral optometrists do complete a couple of years of post-graduate education. What you will find, though, is a wealth of information on eye exercises and maybe a few prisms to boot.

As we mentioned before, some behavioral optometry practices, like eye exercises, have scientifically-proven positive results. That’s great news! However, they also often make some other claims that aren’t as scientifically sound.

One area that you should be particularly wary of is if your behavioral optometrist claims that they can solve your child’s learning or reading concerns at school. A fierce debate has raged for the past several years on whether or not visual problems play into dyslexia and similar reading disorders, but evidence seems to be stacking up against behavioral optometrists.

Optometry Research Talks

More recent studies have found that problems associated with dyslexia don’t have much to do with vision at all. While there was pushback from those who practice these alternative therapies, there’s less and less room for doubt on the subject: a behavioral optometrist probably can’t help you if you’re trying to treat your child’s dyslexia.

However, there are still some definite benefits to seeing a behavioral optometrist. Many of these professionals have a good understanding of different eye disorders, like myopia and hyperopia. They can also conduct full vision screenings. Moreover, their eye exercises have shown some efficacy in treating convergence disorders and amblyopia (patching eyes is an antiquated, but acknowledged treatment). They can improve both focusing and tracking abilities for these individuals. They’re also much less likely to turn to pharmaceutical treatment or surgery than other health professionals. Whether you are nearsighted or farsighted, avoiding LASIK is a wise move, and behavioral optometrists would encourage you in that decision.

If you are considering working with a behavioral optometrist, the most important thing you can do is to thoroughly research the professional you want to see. School quality varies wildly, and no single governing body certifies practitioners of alternative optometry. The closest thing to a guarantee of quality you’ll find is a College of Optometrists in Vision Development certification. This nonprofit counts both eye doctors and practitioners of vision training among its ranks. They do vet members for quality before listing them.

How They Differ from Traditional Optometrists

Despite their similar names, there’s very little in common when looking at regular vs behavioral optometry. Practitioners of both types of optometry are healthcare professionals, but they aren’t what you’d consider med-school-trained doctors (although optometrists can and do carry the title “doctor”). However, regular optometrists work well within the boundaries of Western medicine.

You’ll most often find optometrists working either as adjuncts to ophthalmologists or as independent practitioners. Either way, their primary duty is to fit and prescribe corrective lenses for individuals with low vision or vision disorders. They are not as interested in treating your visual problems from a holistic perspective. In order to fit you for lenses, they make use of tools including phoropters – the strange, multi-lensed devices you’ve probably used during any fitting for glasses – microscopes, and other specialized ophthalmic equipment.

Unlike behavioral optometrists, optometrists graduate with a standardized degree – OD in the US and Canada. They are also regulated by state boards, and doctors must pass tests to remain certified.

In recent years, optometrists have evolved to become primary eye care physicians. Besides prescribing lenses, many now diagnose and treat basic eye diseases and disorders, and can even prescribe pharmaceutical treatment and conduct some surgeries. However, their ability to carry out these procedures varies from state to state. So, an optometrist in Arkansas isn’t quite the same as one in California.

Which Should You Choose?

Deciding whether to head to a behavioral optometrist or a traditional optometrist is generally something determined by context.

If you’re concerned about your child’s sight, you may want to head to a behavioral optometrist for a vision screening. They can help your child build some visual skills, like tracking or focusing. However, depending on the issue, you will likely want to find a secondary physician capable of providing corrective lenses.

Eye exercises can work wonders in kids, but they take time to produce the desired effects. So, to avoid any unwanted learning delays, it’s often best to get kids corrective lenses for the short run and then use vision therapy techniques to wean them off. This way, they’ll develop strong vision for life.

How to Find a Practitioner

Finding a behavioral optometrist can take some time and effort. Do some research on each individual aspect of behavioral methodology – each practitioner will likely have a few different specialties, so ensure that these align with what you believe could be effective.

For example, if you’re interested in eye exercises for improved visual acuity, you may want to look for someone with a background in sports vision therapy. If you’re just concerned with staving off presbyopia, search for a professional used to working with aging eyes.

We would highly recommend searching through the COVD link provided above. These professionals have some level of vetting that will ensure you are getting quality, research-backed care.

Finding a traditional optometrist is much easier. Your best first step is to see who is in network with your insurance – they will have a list of highly qualified options. After that, it’s a simple matter of finding one that you like and arranging a visit. Optometry can be confusing, but with the right professionals in your corner, your vision will be better than ever.