WHAT IS THE SMART VISION COMPREHENSIVE SKILLS ASSESSMENT?

At Smart Vision Optometry we do not perform routine eye tests and the reason for that is very simple. First let’s look at the difference between a routine eye test and the Smart Vision Comprehensive Vision Skills Assessment:

A routine 20/20 eye test looks at our traditional understanding of sight – that is, how clearly we can see the letters on a chart at six metres (or twenty feet). It also incorporates tests to assess general eye health. It’s the basic, scientific model of the eyeball that optometrists and medical practitioners are taught when they go to university.

The Smart Vision Comprehensive Vision Skills Assessment starts by assessing visual acuity (clarity of sight) and general eye health, and then it goes over and above by observing the whole visual process, which is of particular importance for children and students. It looks at how our eyes and our brain work together – that’s when functional vision skills and perceptual vision skills come into play.

Functional vision skills refer to how efficiently our vision system can concentrate and visually attend whereas perceptual vision skills refer to how well our brain processes visual information. Together, they give us a snapshot of each unique vision system and whether that individual is performing to potential or under strain when reading and learning.

As part of his Master’s studies, our Principal Optometrist, Gary Rodney, has developed this proprietary system for analysing, testing, diagnosing and treating human vision skills based on decades of clinical practice, evidence-based research and personal investigations into the latest thinking around the world.

If we have a strained vision system,meaning the functional vision skills are not working efficiently, we can be affected in one or a combination of four different ways, depending on our personality:

1. THE OUTDOOR PERSONALITY – the person who is usually not too happy to be sitting indoors and so will avoid close work as much as possible. As a result, behavioural problems may start to emerge, for example, frustration or giving up tasks easily. That’s how the name ‘Behavioural Optometry’ came about.

2. THE MOTIVATED, SENSITIVE PERSONALITY – the person who finds it hard to read and concentrate but still pushes themselves to perform these tasks will often get symptoms like headaches and sore eyes.

3. THE LAIDBACK, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY PERSONALITY – the person who will neither develop behavioural issues nor push themselves over the limit. However, they will never perform to potential.

4. THE BRIGHT PERSONALITY – the person who reads exceptionally well despite the eye strain, is quite academic or computer-oriented (usually starting at the screen for long periods of time) will likely become shortsighted (myopic) due to poor functional vision skills. Their eyeball may elongate to make that process work easier, causing myopia to develop and progress. Learn more here.

Doing a Smart Vision Comprehensive Vision Skills Assessment is essential if we want to:

  • Prevent sight and vision skills from deteriorating and protect them from getting worse;
  • Maximise vision efficiency and perform to potential when learning;
  • Minimise strain and concentrate with minimum mental effort;
  • Read fluently and accurately.

To schedule an appointment for a Smart Vision Comprehensive Vision Skills Assessment in one of our Smart Vision practices, please click here.