@youreverydayot

Tracking, eye teaming & visual scanning

Vision & Ocular Motor

Brock strings, mazes, tracking tools and search games. The ocular motor tools we use in the clinic to help the eyes aim, follow and focus.

In the clinic

How we train the eyes

Ocular motor work is a big part of what we do at NeuroNest. These are the building blocks, and the tools we reach for, so you can keep the practice going at home.

  1. 01

    Eye teaming

    Brock string

    Three beads on a string. Your child looks at each bead in turn and notices the two strings crossing in an X, which trains both eyes to aim at the same spot.

    See the Brock String
  2. 02

    Smooth tracking

    Swinging ball & flashlight

    Follow a hanging Marsden ball as it swings, or chase a flashlight beam across a dark wall, moving only the eyes and keeping the head still.

    See the Marsden Ball
  3. 03

    Quick eye jumps

    Letter charts

    Tape two letter charts on opposite sides of a wall and read one letter from each, back and forth. It’s a great warm-up before reading.

  4. 04

    Near–far focus

    Near & far cards

    Read a letter card up close, then one across the room, and switch back and forth. It’s the same shift the eyes make when copying from the board.

  5. 05

    Visual scanning

    Mazes & search books

    Mazes, hidden pictures and Where’s Waldo teach the eyes to search in an organized way instead of darting around the page.

    See the My Book of Easy Mazes
  6. 06

    Vision + movement

    Balance challenges

    Steer a maze balance board or catch a ball while standing on a wobble cushion. Pairing eye work with balance is how we train it in the clinic.

    See the Maze Balance Board

If your child has double vision, headaches, an eye that turns in or out, or loses their place constantly when reading, start with a pediatric optometrist. Specific vision therapy exercises should follow their plan.

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Why we train the eyes

Reading a line of text, copying from the board, catching a ball and finding a shoe in a messy room all depend on ocular motor skills: how well the eyes work as a team, follow a moving target smoothly, and jump quickly and accurately from one spot to the next.

When those skills are shaky, kids often lose their place when reading, tire quickly with schoolwork, avoid puzzles, or seem clumsy with balls. The good news is they respond well to practice. In the clinic we use Brock strings, mazes, tracking games and flashlight work, and much of it is easy to keep going at home.

What to look for

  • Eye teaming: tools like the Brock string that train both eyes to aim at the same spot
  • Tracking: following a moving target smoothly, like a swinging ball, a rolling marble or a flashlight beam
  • Scanning: mazes, hidden pictures and search games that train quick, accurate eye jumps
  • Short, fun rounds, and pairing with movement when you can

Safety: Frequent eye rubbing, headaches, double vision, skipping lines when reading, or one eye turning in or out are worth a visit to a pediatric optometrist or ophthalmologist before you start any eye exercises.

Written by Erin Wiggins, OT · How I choose products