EXCELerated Vision

Connor's Story expressed in a Matthew West song...leads to Fox and Friends Sunday

What an amazing year it has been for Connor Caple. The Doctors and Staff at Wow Vision Therapy would like to congratulate Connor for all of his accomplishments and to his parents for staying strong throughout Connors years of frustration as a result of his reading and learning difficulties. Especially we would like to recognize Connor's mother, Michelle who expressed her story of sadness in a letter to musical artist Matthew West who in turn composed a song entitled: To Me

About 1 year ago, at age 15,  Connor presented for care to Wow Vision Therapy as a recommendation from his reading teacher who recognized many of the visual symptoms that Connor was experiencing. Connor's symptoms were significant for poor concentration for reading, letter reversals, difficulty keeping his place when reading and avoidance of reading. On the COVD Quality of Life Symptom Checklist he scored 47!

Connor was identified with delays in visual development particularly in eye movement skill, visual processing and visual imagery ability.

Connor completed his vision therapy treatment plan with us at Wow Vision Therapy in July 2010. He was reading everyday, but because it was the middle of the summer it was not known how well we was actually going to do in school.

Connor came in for his 3 month progress evaluation this week  and is reporting 3 grade levels improvment in reading and doing much better in spelling.  His Quality of Life Symptom Checklist is nearly all "0's" ...only a few "1's" (total score 7).

We are thrilled with Connor's success and thankful to have had the opportunity to play a role in the progress of  his life's journey. Connor's next stop is New York City on the weekend of November 13-14, 2010  where he and his parents will be interviewed on the Fox and Friends Sunday Morning Show. This should be a wonderful interview where his story of struggle that lead to his mother's letter that lead to...To Me

To Me by Matthew West (The Story Behind The Song) from emicmg on Vimeo.

 

*Thank you to Steve and Michelle Caple who gave us permission to share Connor's story*

How "singular" vision warms the feet -- a convergence insufficiency success story

My heart was touched and my feet will be warm thanks to the handcrafted gift that was created by our adult vision therapy patient, Julie Gibson. Julie presented today for her 3 month post-vision therapy progress evaluation and this is her story.

Julie was originally referred to me about 7 months ago by her primary care optometrist, Dr. Henry Bausback in Michigan City for a condition of adult convergence insufficiency (CI). With this binocular vision problem, Julie had visual symptoms that interfered with many activities in her life. She experienced difficulty with intermittent double vision when working as a hair stylist but she could compensate by just standing further away from her clients. But, what really bothered Julie was the difficulty, eye strain and double vision she experienced when attempting to do what she loved most...her hobby - quilting and knitting.

After Julie completed her office-based vision therapy with our office in July 2010 she was doing very well. Her visual symptoms were gone! But, to be sure that her visual brain had acquired the treatment goal of "automaticity" she was advised to discontinue all home-based vision therapy activities and return in 3 months for a progress evaluation. Today (October 19, 2010) was her 3 month progress evaluation. She had followed my instructions of discontinuing all home-based vision therapy activities which is the standard protocol after completing office-based vision therapy at Wow Vision Therapy.

While I anticipated Julie would do well at her 3 month progress check, and she did, maintaining all of her binocular vision skills in the tests, what really surprised me was her thank you card and her hand-made gift! Now that Julie no longer has double vision she thoroughly enjoys her hobby and in appreciation, knitted me a pair of Alpaca socks! As winter approaches here in Michigan this will really be appreciated.

Attached to the gift was a thank you card written by Julie. Here is what she wrote:

Dr. Fortenbacher:

"Thank you so much for your excellence in eye care! I am so thankful for all that you and your staff have done for me and my eyes. Because of my hobbies, I came to your office. It seems appropriate that you should be able to share in my "singular" vision! Thanks again and God Bless, Julie Gibson."

Julie's thoughtful gift is another reminder of how patients (children as well as adults) with undetected convergence insufficiency must be identified and provided appropriate treatment. Julie's acquisition of single binocular vision unleased her ability to enjoy an extension of her creative potential... and that's how "singular" vision can warm the feet!

Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D., FCOVD