“We at Vision Development Institute are dedicated to helping each of
our clients live up to his or her fullest potential. Our work begins where
diagnosticians leave off. We treat the underlying causes of symptoms
that others merely label. And we don’t just treat the diagnosis, we treat
the person.”
– Dr. Hans Lessmann, Director
What is the Vision Development Institute?
VDI offers vision therapy and rehabilitation to both children and adults. Parallel operations began in 1948 by a pioneer in vision development, Dr. Harry Wachs, co-author of Thinking Goes to School: Piaget’s Theory in Practice. Dr. Hans Lessmann opened VDI in 1992.
Who Are We?
Dr. Hans F. Lessmann, Executive Director of VDI, is Board Certified by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (www.covd.com. He is also board certified as a fellow in the College of Syntonic Optometry for phototherapy treatment (www.syntonicphototherapy.com). He has won numerous awards, including being named Pennsylvania’s Optometrist of the Year in 2003. Dr. Lessmann is the father of a daughter with Down syndrome and understands the concerns of special children and their parents. Click here to view Dr. Lessmann's cv.
Our experienced staff consists of skilled professionals who cumulatively have more than 75 years of experience in vision therapy.
What Do We Do Here?
Healthy vision is crucial to a full and healthy life. Here at VDI, we help our clients overcome physiological and neurological challenges so they can make full use of their capacities.
Like all optometrists, we test vision and prescribe glasses. But we don’t stop there. We teach our clients to better control their eyes, so they can fully benefit from their prescriptions. We offer training in fundamental skills such as tracking, focusing, depth perception, peripheral vision, binocularity (using both eyes together), and near and distance acuity.
But we also do even more. We help our clients improve not only their eyesight, but their “visual thinking.”
Does This Sound Like a Child You Know?
• Underachieves
• Behavior problems
• Learning difficulties
• Spectrum disorders-autism
• Inconsistent performance
• Poor balance and coordination
We Also Treat Adult Patients With Specific Needs:
• Glasses or contacts are never just right
• Computer eye strain
• Dizziness, vertigo, nausea
• Spatial disorientation
• Stroke & head injuries
Why are We Different?
What we offer is a solution, not just a description. Our patients know what the problem is – they just need to improve it.
Our Objectives are to:
• Make your issues disappear
• Enhance performance
• Promote present & future health
• Improve academic, social, athletic, vocational and non-vocational opportunities.
• Increase confidence and abilities
Our Approach
We employ the sound theoretical principles of Jean Piaget to address gaps in cognitive or sensory development. With vision as our emphasis, we target primitive reflexes, visual thinking, fine and gross motor skills, and ocular-motor deficiencies in a developmental hierarchy. This method offers the best protection against regression or “hitting a wall” in our patients’ progress, and that the seed of vision therapy can grow for a lifetime.
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