475+ PARENTS CAN'T BE WRONG
read just a few of the hundreds of Vision Therapy Success Stories now published at www.visiontherapystories.org. This web site offers over 475 enthusiastic testimonials written by patients, parents, and teachers. People of all kinds describe their success with Vision Therapy and ADD-ADHD, Blurry Vision, Brain Injuries, convergence Insufficiency, Dyslexia, Eye Strain, Headaches, NLD, Reading Difficulties, Vision-Related Learning Disabilities, and much more.

CHOOSING AN EYE DOCTOR
By Patricia S.Lemer, M.Ed., NCC
reprinted from New Developments newsletter Vol.3, No.4

A parent recently asked why I recommended that her child be examined by an optometrist rather than an ophthalmologist. The answer comes from my understanding of these two eye care professions and my personal experience.
Both types of eye doctors examine and prescribe glasses, diagnose and treat eye disease, and can even evaluate how well a person uses the eyes together. However, each profession is unique. Ophthalmologists are trained to do surgery. I credit one with saving the eyesight of my daughter, who at age five, sustained an eye injury. Optometrists are schooled in the behavioral (or functional) aspects of vision. They are more apt to use lenses, prisms, and vision therapy to enhance and improve function. These interventions often improve childrens academic and other abilities.

Eyesight vs. Vision
Eyesight and vision are not synonymous. Eyesight is the sharpness of the image seen by the eye. Vision is the ability to focus on and comprehend that which is seen. Research has shown that most children with special needs do not have eyesight problems, while many have visual dysfunction. If a child has motor delays, vestibular difficulties, or health problems, vision is often compromised.
The American Optometric Association recommends that children have vision examinations by six months. A good eye doctor can test many aspects of function at this young age and quickly effect changes with intervention.
Most school vision screenings check only eyesight - only at twenty feet, not at reading distance. They rarely tell us whether a child has a clear image at nearpoint or how the eyes work together. The only information they provide is whether a child can see the blackboard. Many vision problems thus go undetected when parents have false security and brag, My kid's eyes are 20/20!

Vision is Learned
Vision, like reading, mathematics, and language, is learned. Giving meaning to what is seen begins at birth. In the developmental hierarchy, infants move without purpose, while their eyes learn how to work as a team, to sustain focus. Toddlers use movement to drive vision, such as shaking a rattle for its sound before looking at it. Finally, children can visualize without movement. Thus, for children to be successful in school, vision must purposefully direct their actions. Drs. Toler have video tapes available to help develop your childís visual system, call the office for more details.

Vision Must Become the Primary Sense
We hear a lot about individual learning styles. My child is a kinesthetic learner, a mother told me. She meant that her child is still using touch and movement to get information about the world. This learning style is more primitive than getting information visually.
Well-functioning individuals store all types of sensory images and can visualize and retrieve them upon demand. They no longer need to touch and move to experience their world. Vision directs their thinking, organization listening and actions.

Vision Lays the Foundation for Language & Relationships
Vision plays a major role in language and social emotional development. Children with language delays, attention deficits, pervasive developmental disorders and autism all have inefficient visual systems. If a toddler is not speaking of relating to others, a vision evaluation is essential. A developmental optometrist can prescribe therapeutic and pleasurable activities to be done at home, during floor time, occupational and language therapy, or at day care. Combining the visual system with touch, movement, audition and social experiences benefits all areas.


PARENTS CENTER
CHECKLIST OF VISION PROBLEMS (print this out)
_______ homework takes hours and hours, when it shouldn't
_______ slow reading speed for age
_______ loses place, skips words, skips lines
_______ your child seems disappointed by their performance in reading and writing
_______ rereads for meaning
_______ head turns as reads across the page
_______ short attention span in reading or copying
_______ have you or anybody noticed one eye turning in or out
_______ your child complains of headaches after school or after reading
_______ your child complains of blurred vision at distance or when reading
_______ your child complains of eyes hurting or feeling tired after school or reading
_______ very verbal, good conversationalist, well developed spoken vocabulary
_______ listening comprehension superior to reading comprehension
_______ confuses left and right directions
_______ writes crookedly, poorly spaced, difficulty staying on ruled lines
_______ knows the material but test scores do not reflect his/her potential

If your child has two or more of these symptoms you need to contact our office immediately for an appointment.
Click here to set-up an Appointment On-line.

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TEACHERS CENTER (print this out)
Examples of students that can benefit from vision therapy
_______ the child diagnosed with visual processing and / or perceptual problems
_______ the child that does not answer
_______ one that keeps on guessing, hoping to hit the right answer
_______ the one who watches your face to see if he got the right answer
_______ the one who always to copy the first example and then can do the rest if they are all the same
_______ when the math problems require a variety of formula he is not sure which one should be used
_______ the one who says that he cannot do it over and over until you stop asking
_______ starts to cry so you stop asking
_______ the one who gives you the answers he thinks you want to hear
_______ the adamant one, once he gives you an answer will not change it
_______ the one who keeps asking questions until the right answer is revealed
_______ the memororizer who has trouble applying what he has memorized
_______ the devious child who tries not to commit himself so as not to be wrong
_______ the fast performer who starts and finishes well, but there are errors in the middle
_______ the child who resorts to always saying I don't know

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A President of the United States daughter benefits from vision therapy.

Luci Johnson Nugent the younger daughter of President Johnson was a bright child but was an underachiever in school. She had a major vision problem that went undetected for years, although her father had the means to have her health problems diagnosed and treated. At 16 she was on the way of dropping our or school. You can't face the frustration of not being able to succeed indefinitely without wanting to run from the scene of your failures. After seeing an special optometrist it was determined that she had poor eye coordination, although her acuity was 20/20. Glasses alone did not solve the problem. To alleviate the problem, a program of activities and exercises (vision therapy) was recommended.

Leading Pediatrician speaks on vision and learning disabilities.

By Lendon H. Smith, M.D.
.... Developmental optometry, and its special method called perceptual sensory training, is for young and old alike. If you have tried all the nutritional changes that you can think of and the teacher says that your child just cannot get it, it would be smart to consult with a developmental optometrist. Nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, strabismus, amblyopia, and poor accommodation can often be figured our by the parents...but how the child processes what is coming into the retina and on the back to the brain for organization may have to be left to the optometrist, preferably one who does developmental optometry including perceptual sensory training.

Dr. Richard Hopping, O.D. president of the Southern California College of Optometry Fullerton, California, and a national spokesman for the Better Vision Institute (BVI) gives us this bit of startling news: In school screening detects only 20% to 30% vision problems. - The Facts, November 1991, OEP pamphlet

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HOW OUR VISUAL THERAPY PROGRAM HAS CHANGED PEOPLES LIVES

Bobby is reading at a full grade level above where he was 6 months ago. He actually enjoys reading "for fun" now- a real change from the past! He used to tantrum to avoid reading and writing. He trips rarely now (when walking / running) and is much more confident on the climbing bars. His gross motor movements have become more coordinated and more confident. His skills on computer games of racing, etc., that especially require good eye-hand coordination, accurate perception, and quick reflexes have greatly improved over the last 6 months. Also, his reading comprehension has greatly improved. To Drs. Toler & Toler & all the staff, THANK YOU.
Mrs. Allen

C. hated homework last year. She couldn't comprehend what she read. She was a very frustrated child. I'm sure she would have gotten lost in the system at school. She's a bright child, but she's not performing as well as she should is what I heard from her teacher.
I wouldn't say C. likes homework, but it's not a tearful and such a struggle this year. She's gone from the lowest reading level to the highest. Her self esteem is back where it should be.
I am so relieved and happy for her to have had this program available to her. It is an investment for life!
Thank you, so very much, C.S.

Vision Therapy has benefited K. in many ways. His reading ability has improved so in turn has his grades. I don't have to prod him to do his homework like I used to, which I appreciate. I'm not getting reports of his lack of attention in class, which had been a problem. I am really glad that the problem was diagnosed and there was treatment for it.
K.K.

Where do I start? My daughter loves to read on her own now! Something that I would have never thought to happen. Her handwriting, posture and attention have improved so much. Since homeschooling H., I was able to watch the changes daily. Also her baseball fielding has improved. Her focus and judgment is sharper.
I tell anyone who is willing to listen al the benefits of the visual training. I hope other children can be as lucky as H. and can receive therapy to make their school years happy one and not a time of struggle.
L.S.

B. seems to concentrate for longer periods of time for homework, without the fatigue he used to experience.
Gradually, he is regaining the confidence to read fiction. He used to dread any fun reading like that. But he is beginning to realize that it is pleasurable again, without the eye fatigue. Finally, we have not seen any reason to take ritalin for school and homework hours. We have fixed the concentration problems, instead of using a drug that only covers the problem.

Visual therapy program changed my life by making my headaches go away, and life easier to deal with. I will prosper from this program most likely for the rest of my life. I have not suffered a severe headache in a long time. It has also taught me patients and good posture for writing. It has helped me a lot.
a patient

The most important thing vision therapy has done for me as a parent is the ability to provide hope for my child. In the mist of labels being placed on your child (immature, not working to potential, lazy, poorly motivated) the biggest frustration is helplessness. Seeing your child struggle with skills when you know the ability is there in unbelievably frustrating. Vision therapy has inabled my son to identify problem areas instead of covering them. It has given hime the tools to improve skills, concentration and regain his desire for learning. My son no longer uses or believes the labels.
C.R.

For more testimonials please contact our office.


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COMPUTERS AND EYE STRAIN (print this out)

Can working with a computer video display terminal (VDT) cause eye problems? Yes.

VDT-related visual stress may underlie many direct symptoms, like eyestrain. More than half of all VDT operators experience eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision and other symptoms directly and indirectly related to increased, sustained nearpoint visual stress associated with the use of VDTs. Often the symptoms can occur after four (4) months of VDT work.

The resulting nearpoint visual stress - despite 20/20 distance visual acuity - often produces both temporary and sometimes permanent adaptive changes, including nearsightedness, suppressed vision in one eye, poor eye teaming and reduced performance both at work and at play.


VDT-RELATED VISUAL STRESS CHECKLIST (print this out)
_______ Headaches accompanying or following VDT use
_______ Eyestrain
_______ Irritated Eyes
_______ Blurred Vision
_______ Slow refocusing when looking from copy or screen to distance objects
_______ Frequently losing place when moving eyes between copy and screen
_______ Difficulty seeing clearly at distance after prolonged VDT use
_______ Occasional or frequent doubling of vision
_______ Changes in color perception
_______ Present lens prescription (glasses or contact lenses) fails to relieve symptoms
SOURCE: Optometric Extension Program,VDTS and VISION

Eye teaming and scanning problems may require visual training to develop the ability to efficiently track and move both eyes together. Vision therapy is covered by some major medical insurance policies.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) recommends that all VDT operators have periodic eye examinations.

Tell Drs. Toler you are a VDT operator, describe your VDT work tasks and mention any eye strain symptoms you are experiencing. Also, measure the working distance between your eyes and your VDT screen. All of this is important in determining your on-the-job vision needs.

There are special aids for VDT operators Drs. Toler can also advise about environmental and ergonomic factors for VDT users. Call today and make your appointment.

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TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Traumatic Brain Injury causes stress on the nervous system. The effect on vision seems to be an interference with the visual process. As a result, a head injured person may experience double vision, reading concentration difficulties.

In the past, these symptoms were diagnosed as individual eye problems or muscle imbalances. The eye alignment imbalances and other reported difficulties that result from a head injury often occur in the visual processing system. This may cause an eye to turn out or other less noticeable visual problems. These eye problems are characteristic of a syndrome - the Post Trauma Vision Syndrome (PTVS).

After a neurological impairment such as TBI or CVA, mismatches in neuro-motor and vision processing can occur, causing shifts in a person’s midline. This shift in midline can cause a person to lean his body right or left, front or back affecting balance, posture and gait. This shift in visual midline has been termed the Visual Midline Shift Syndrome (VMSS).

Due to the major impact of the visual system on cognitive and motor function, the visual rehabilitative needs of the head injured, stroke, or neurologically impaired patient must be addressed as soon as possible. Neuro-Optometric rehabilitation, a special area of study in optometry, is an individualized treatment regimen for patients with visual problems as a result of such injuries. The treatment plan improves specific acquired vision dysfunctions determined by standardized diagnostic criteria. Treatment regimens encompass medically necessary non-compensatory lenses and prisms with and without occlusion and other appropriate rehabilitation strategies.

Following is a list of patient symptoms and/or behaviors that may be reported or observed. If these symptoms are present, the patient may be in the Post Trauma Vision Syndrome and/or the Visual Midline Shift Syndrome and should be referred for neuro-optometric rehabilitation.

REHABILITATION CHECKLIST

Name:_____________________________

Date:__________________

1. Post Trauma Vision Syndrome
_______ Double Vision
_______ Headaches
_______ Blurry Vision
_______ Dizziness or nausea
_______ Attention or Concentration difficulties
_______ Staring behavior (low blink rate)
_______ Disorientation
_______ Loses place when reading
_______ Can’t find beginning of next line when reading
_______ Comprehension problems when reading
_______ Visual memory problems
_______ Pulls away from objects when they are brought close

2. Visual Midline Shift Syndrome
_______ Dizziness or nausea
_______ Disorientation
_______ Consistently stays on one side of hallway of room
_______ Bumps into objects when walking
_______ Poor balance or posture: leans back on heels, forward, or to one side when walking, standing or seated

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April 2000 'Eye disorder linked to ADHD in children'1
"This analysis shows that children with ADHD had three times the incidence of convergence insufficiency (CI) than what was expected in children walking in off the street". Granet said. CI "makes it more difficult to concentrate on reading, which is also one of the ways doctors diagnose ADHD…CI may not be well known outside the field of eye care specialists…We don't know if children are being misdiagnosed with ADHD when they truly have convergence insufficiency or vice versa," On April 20, 2000, Health A to Z, interviewed the treasurer of the American Psychiatric Association, Maria Lymberis, M.D. who is quoted as saying, "I'd bet that most psychiatrists and pediatricians are not familiar with CI and maybe the best thing that comes out of this is that those experts dealing with ADHD will be more aware of this".

CI Screening you can do at home:
Using a penlight, about * inch in diameter, not a flashlight. Starting 24 inches from the person's nose and slightly below eye level. The instruction: "Look at the light and say when the penlight splits in two and when it returns to one." Start moving the penlight toward the nose. Observe the eyes for one of them to loose fixation, turn out. After it loses fixation pull the penlight back and watch for realignment of the eye. Note: Do this four times, with convergence insufficiency the distance from the nose may increase with each repitition. Possible CI is when the break / double image response / observed eye turn is beyond 2 inches from the nose and the recovery is past 4 inches from the nose. Report your finding to your eye doctor. CI is a medical diagnosis and is
treatable. If you still have questions call our office 231-9151.

1published in Reuters Health by Dr. David B. Granet, M.D. a University of San Diego (UCSD), School of Medicine, associate professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics and Director of the UCSD Ratner Children's eye Center. Dr. Granet was to present his findings at the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus on April 13, 2000. Dr. Granet did say "What we do know is that more research must be done on this subject and that patients diagnosed with ADHD should be evaluated
for convergence insufficiency and treated accordingly".


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