We are frequently asked, “What’s the difference between an EI-TVI and a Vision Therapist?” It’s an easy mistake to confuse an EI-TVI with a “therapist” because they collaborate with physical and occupational therapists. But here are the facts.
Early Intervention Teachers of the Visually Impaired (EI-TVIs) are licensed special educators with advanced degrees focused on children with blindness or visual impairment. They collaborate directly with parents, caregivers and other EI providers to address the specific goals of each family and their child. Family-focused, strengths based and developmentally appropriate, EI-TVI services are provided in the home or other natural environments.
Vision Therapists provide doctor supervised eye exercises intended to correct visual processing problems and/or build visual skills. The goal is to train the brain to process visual information more efficiently by improving the ability to use both eyes together, treating eye deviations and slowing the progression of nearsightedness.