Visual school
The term visual school is used as a synonym for various institutions that deal in the broadest sense and in the most varied of ways with the assessment and treatment of visual disorders of various types and causes. It probably dates from the period between 1920 and 1930 and was the one used by the former spread of eye training , on the other hand by developing new examination and treatment methods of disorders of binocular vision (binocular vision) and movement disorders of the eye by the evidence-based medicine from the 1950s.
Eye training
Eye training, more precisely eye training according to Bates , is understood to mean a number of methods that claim to eliminate or at least to eliminate optical refractive errors ( nearsightedness , farsightedness , astigmatism ) through targeted training of the outer eye muscles and with the accompaniment of various other exercises reduce the fact that they should make wearing optical corrections ( glasses , contact lenses, etc.) superfluous. This procedure was invented around 1920 by the American ophthalmologist William Bates . The increasing interest in such procedures led to the establishment of so-called visual schools in which appropriate exercises were carried out.
From the evidence-based medicine this treatment methods are strictly rejected because a scientific proof has not so far yielded their successful application and effectiveness. Nevertheless, there are reports that these exercises are said to have led to subjective success.
Orthoptics, pleoptics and motility disorders
Even if the content has become outdated in the meantime, the term visual school is still used today to denote a special ophthalmological, medical department of clinics, specialist practices or other health facilities. These departments deal with the diagnosis and therapy of eye muscle imbalance disorders (including strabismus , nystagmus ), disorders of binocular vision (including lack of spatial vision) and functional impaired vision ( amblyopia ). Neuroophthalmology also makes use of the diagnostic and therapeutic capacities of visual schools. The term itself comes from a time when training sessions ( see: orthoptics , pleoptics ) were carried out with special devices in sessions lasting hours , albeit for completely different purposes than those mentioned above. Despite the treatment methods that have changed over the decades, the expression school of vision has established itself in general usage as a synonym for an ophthalmological department for orthoptics, pleoptics and motility disorders .
Basics of activity
As different as the above-mentioned concepts, methods and treatment goals are, which claim the term visual school for their activities, the professional basis on which these activities are carried out are just as different.
The term "eye trainer" or "eye trainer" (see also: functional optometry ), often with the addition of "holistic", has recently been used in connection with the above-mentioned eye training procedures and other methodologies. He is not legally protected and has no state-recognized training path. Because of this lack of legal basis, anyone can use this term for themselves without special proof of qualification. In principle, everyone is therefore allowed to offer and carry out further training to become an “eye trainer” or “vision trainer”, as there are no independent controls. The content and duration of the seminars are different and not uniformly regulated. A seminar is about 25 days on average and is offered by private companies and individuals.
In contrast, so-called orthoptists are active in the vision school as the ophthalmological specialist department of evidence-based medicine , who must have appropriate, state-recognized training. This in turn is subject to legal provisions and training regulations. In Germany, vocational training to become an orthoptist is carried out exclusively at state-recognized educational establishments that are affiliated to all universities and lasts 3 years full-time. This enables a higher-level, independent and standardized quality control of the required range of services. Recently, activities have been undertaken to academicize training. This is already the case in Austria and leads to a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies BCs degree .
