Many Ontario families are unaware that vision involves far more than eyesight. Visual processing and tracking challenges can seriously affect reading, attention, and school participation for neurodivergent and neurologically diverse children — yet vision therapy is not funded through the Ontario Autism Program. This petition asks the province to recognize these needs and ensure that children who require vision therapy can access it without financial barriers.

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To: The Government of Ontario, the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), and Members of Parliament

Every child deserves the chance to read, learn, and participate fully in their education. Yet in Ontario, thousands of neurodivergent children are being left behind because vision therapy—an evidence‑supported intervention for visual processing and oculomotor difficulties—is not covered by the Ontario Autism Program (OAP).

Families like mine know the consequences of this gap all too well.

This can mean children that struggle for years with reading avoidance, headaches, and fatigue. Without access to funded vision therapy, some children may lose hope and some families may be forced to withdraw their children from school. Not because they couldn’t learn—but because the child’s visual system couldn’t keep up.

I urge our government to recognize what countless families, educators, and clinicians already know: there is more to vision than eyesight.

Why Vision Therapy Matters
Vision is not simply “20/20.”

As the American Optometric Association notes, vision is a complex information‑processing system, involving how the brain collects, organizes, and interprets visual input. Difficulties in this system can profoundly affect reading, attention, and learning—especially for neurodivergent children.

Research from the University of Waterloo and the VUE3 Vision Therapy Network highlights that:

• Over 82% of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) in Canada are due to reading‑based learning difficulties.
  Visual processing and oculomotor anomalies are increasingly recognized as major contributors to literacy challenges.
  The lifetime financial impact of untreated learning difficulties can reach $1.98 million in lost income, with families bearing an average cost of $455,000 from Grades 1–12.
• These numbers are staggering—and they underscore the urgency of early, accessible intervention.

 

The Problem: Vision Therapy Is Not Covered
Despite its importance, vision therapy is not considered an essential service under the Ontario Autism Program.

Families can receive funding for ABA, occupational therapy, and speech‑language therapy—but not for the visual rehabilitation that directly supports reading, attention, and classroom participation.

This leaves parents with an impossible choice:

Pay thousands out of pocket, or watch their child struggle.

For many families—especially those already navigating disability‑related expenses—this is not a choice at all.

What We Are Asking For
We call on the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Autism Program to:

1. Recognize vision therapy as an essential service for neurodivergent children.
Visual processing is foundational to learning. It deserves the same status as OT, SLT, and ABA.

2. Provide funding for assessment and treatment through the OAP.
No family should be forced into debt—or forced to withdraw their child from school—because they cannot afford medically informed visual rehabilitation.

3. Consult with optometrists, researchers, and families to update policy.
Ontario’s children deserve evidence‑based, equitable access to care.

 

A Call to Parents, Educators, and Allies
If you have seen the difference vision therapy can make—whether through your own child, a student, or a loved one—your voice matters.

Please:

• Sign this petition.
• Share it with other families and educators.
• Write to your Member of Parliament urging them to support funding for vision therapy.
• Help spread awareness that vision is not just about eyesight—it is about how a child’s brain makes sense of the world.

Together, we can ensure that no child is denied the chance to read, learn, and thrive simply because their family cannot afford the care they need.

**At the end of this petition you can find both standard letter and email templates to help you write to or email your local MPP**

Citations:

American Optometric Association – Vision as a complex information‑processing system:
https://opto.ca/sites/default/files/resources/documents/Position%20Statement%20Vision%20Therapy%20Feb%202024%20EN%20final.pdf

University of Waterloo & VUE3 Vision Therapy Network – Statistics on IEPs, literacy challenges, and financial impact:
https://pubs.covd.org/VDR/19AM/110.pdf

Canadian Council of the Blind – Need for improved public education on vision health:
https://www.fightingblindness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Report-Card-Vision-Health_acc.-digital.pdf

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Standard Letter Template:

Subject: Request for OAP Coverage of Vision Therapy for Neurodivergent Children

Dear [name],

I’m writing as a parent in [city] to ask for your support in addressing a gap in the Ontario Autism Program: the lack of funding for vision therapy for children with neurological and developmental differences.

Many families are unaware that vision involves more than eyesight. Visual processing and tracking difficulties can significantly affect reading, attention, and school participation. Despite this, vision therapy is not currently recognized as an essential service under the OAP, leaving families to pay out of pocket for assessments and treatment.

[Optional: Add 2–3 sentences about your child’s experience or why this matters to you.]

I’m asking for your support in raising this issue at Queen’s Park and encouraging the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to consider including vision therapy in the OAP. This change would help ensure that children who need visual rehabilitation are not limited by cost.

Thank you for your time and for your advocacy on behalf of families in this situation.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]  
[City]

 

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Short Email Template:

Dear Ms. [MPP name],

I’m writing to ask for your support in addressing the lack of OAP funding for vision therapy, which many neurodivergent and neurologically diverse children rely on for reading, attention, and school participation.

Families who cannot afford private therapy are left without access to care that could meaningfully improve their child’s learning.

I hope you will raise this issue at Queen’s Park and encourage the Ministry to consider including vision therapy in the OAP.

Sincerely,

[Name]