Special Needs

Neurodiversity & Disabilities

From check-in to check-out including the examination and vision therapy services, our office and team are dedicated to providing a calm, patient, flexible, and positive experience for all of our patients. We have special ways to evaluate vision and ocular health for all levels of verbal and attentional abilities, and we are dedicated to doing so while maintaining a non-traumatic and even fun environment.

Our office is wheelchair-friendly. If specific accommodations would be helpful (such as being scheduled during the least crowded or quietest time of day), or if there is anything we need to know to make your child’s experience with us a more positive one, please call our office to speak with our team.

We believe that every person is capable and deserving of comprehensive eye and vision care.

Vision and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Many individuals on the autism spectrum experience visual challenges that can affect comfort, learning, and daily interactions. Common findings may include:

Differences in eye movements
Higher rates of strabismus (crossed or wandering eye)
Difficulty coordinating central and peripheral vision (for example, not looking directly at an object or struggling with scanning)
Reduced or inconsistent visual attention
Sensitivity to “visual crowding” (such as word searches or busy, overstimulating environments)

A functional vision evaluation can help identify these challenges. And through vision therapy, we can work with someone with autism to improve or build flexibility in processing in:

organization of visual space
central-peripheral visual integration
central visual focus and attention
eye coordination and movement control
visual information processing

These improvements can reduce feelings of visual overwhelm, support learning and communication, and make it easier to engage with the world in a more comfortable and confident way.

Vision and ADHD

Some vision problems can look very similar to the behaviors often associated with ADHD—such as distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Because of this overlap, some children with vision difficulties may be mistakenly labeled as having ADHD.

Research has shown a connection between convergence insufficiency (a common vision disorder affecting near focus) and ADHD. In fact, children with convergence insufficiency are three times more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis compared to children without the condition.

That’s why a comprehensive functional vision evaluation is an important part of the process for any child with ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms. This type of exam looks beyond 20/20 eyesight and evaluates how the eyes coordinate, focus, and process information.

Identifying and treating vision problems can:

Reduce attention and concentration struggles linked to vision
Support better comfort and focus in reading and schoolwork
Improve overall academic performance and confidence

Clear vision is more than just sharp eyesight—it’s about how effectively the visual system works to support learning and attention every day.

Vision and Down Syndrome

Eye and vision conditions are very common in individuals with Down Syndrome, which makes regular eye exams essential. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve vision, eye alignment, and the development of visual pathways—supporting learning, comfort, and overall daily functioning.

Those with Down Syndrome have a higher likelihood of experiencing:

Blurry vision due to significant refractive errors (need for glasses)
Strabismus (crossed or wandering eye)
Nystagmus (shaking or “dancing” eye movements)
Difficulties focusing up close (accommodative problems)
Cataracts (present at birth or developing later)
Blepharitis (eyelid inflammation)
Keratoconus (cone-shaped corneal distortion)
Glaucoma (elevated eye pressure)

With proactive vision care, many of these challenges can be managed to help individuals with Down Syndrome see more clearly and participate more fully in school, work, hobbies and daily activities.