The Wow Vision Therapy Blog

Specialized treatment comes to Grand Rapids for children who struggle from vision and learning problems

One in 12 children struggle with serious vision problems that cause reading and learning problems yet those same children will pass the standard vision tests. Collin is one of these children who endured the struggle with frustration and lowself-esteem, but with his office-based optometric vision therapy treatment he has blossomed with new abilities and confidence!

 

 

Wow Vision Therapy is recognized as one of top specialty vision therapy practices in the US and is now open in Grand Rapids, Michigan on East Beltline! For more information take a look at our website at www.wowvision.net .

 

You can also learn more details on the impact of vision problems affecting learning by reading Dr. Fortenbacher’s VisionHelp article: How does it feel to have a vision related reading or learning problem?

 

A young girl's life of frustration when misdiagnosed with ADD

Frustrating? Yes. Upsetting? Of course! When a bright young lady has struggled for years at school, only to be assumed she had ADD. And just because her teacher suggested her behavior was probably ADD does not mean her teacher was at fault. Her behavior did look like ADD! But that is where the problem lies, because this is a common assumption made by many people when a child has behaviors of poor attention and concentration with reading. Immediately ADD or ADHD comes up and the child is too often put on psycho-stimulant medication without the necessary rule-outs of other conditions.

But thanks to Madison’s pediatrician who performed a simple test of Madison's binocular vision called a Near Point of Convergence Test, she found Madison had a vision problem called Convergence Insufficiency, a vision problem that affects 1 in 12 children, and referred her to see me for a comprehensive binocular vision evaluation. Take a look and hear from Madison’s mother, who tells the story about her daughter’s struggle with attention and concentration at school, disinterest in reading and loss of confidence transform into her success from the treatment of her binocular vision problems through advanced vision therapy care at Wow Vision Therapy.

   

Madison's story of success through office-based optometric vision therapy is validated in the latest scientific research  and published in: Optom Vis Sci. 2012 January ; 89(1): 12–18, Improvement in Academic Behaviors Following Successful Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency.

In addition, more evidence of Madison's successful treatment is outlined by the American Academy of Optometry published in August 2013 a position paper entitled,  American Academy of Optometry Binocular Vision, Perception, and Pediatric Optometry Position Paper on Optometric Care of the Struggling Student for parents, educators, and other professionals.

If you are located within Northern Indiana, Western or Southwestern Michigan and have a child who exhibits ADD-like behaviors, struggles in reading comprehension, homework is a battle, has headaches with reading or has other learning related difficulty, call our office and our patient care coordinators will help you by making an appointment with one of our Board Certified Doctors.  If you are not within the region of Wow Vision Therapy go to the College of Optometrists in Vision Development at www.covd.org and click on the Doctor Locator to find a specialist nearest you.

Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D.,FCOVD

New video answers common questions about vision therapy

One of the major obstacles in public awareness of Convergence Insufficiency is that this condition is clearly not a household word. Parents whose school-age child is newly diagnosed with CI frequently will ask, “Why did no one recognize this in my child earlier?” 

To address this  common question, our office has produced a video, entitled: Looking Inward: The Vision Therapy Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency  to help bring about a better understanding for diagnosis and effective treatment of this common and yet potentially disabling binocular vision problem...Convergence Insufficiency. 

What can Vision Therapy do for you?

In our effort to continue to improve the patient and public awareness of what vision therapy can do to help those with a need, we offer this, our latest video which answers many of the questions that, over the years, patients have often asked us. It is entitled: What can Vision Therapy do for you?

 

 

Audrey walks taller thanks to vision therapy!

Binocular vision problems, like convergence insufficiency, can slowly and insidiously rob children of their confidence and self-esteem. The impact of years of near-centered visual stress causing headaches, double vision and loss of productivity in reading and homework took a toll on Audrey. Vision therapy at Wow Vision Therapy successfully restored full binocular visual function, eliminated her headaches and other symptoms. As a result Audrey is happier because she can accomplish more in less time. As her mother states, "Since vision therapy, Audrey walks taller!"

Dr. Fortenbacher frequently writes on the topic of Convergence Insufficiency for the VisionHelp Blog. Click here to read more from Dr. Dan.

 

Convergence Insufficiency (CI) or more severe forms such as strabismus is not just "kid stuff"

Binocular vision problems like Convergence Insufficiency (CI) or more severe forms such as strabismus is not just "kid stuff". It affects adults equally as well. The result of a binocular vision problem can have a serious impact on an adult's quality of life including the fundamentals of reading or in the case of more advanced forms, lead to deficiencies in perception of 3-D vision.

In this VisionHelp Podcast Episode 2 you will hear from two of the world's leading experts, Dr. Leonard J. Press and Dr. Susan Barry. VisionHelp Blogger and prolific author, Dr. Leonard Press, joins the program to discuss this years American Optometric Association (AOA) and presentations regarding 3D technologies and binocular vision.  Dr. Sue Barry, a professor of Neurobiology and author of the book, Fixing My Gaze a Scientist's Journey into Seeing in Three Dimensions, discusses her history with Strabismus and how, through vision therapy, she was able to achieve stereopsis as an adult.

 

Convergence Insufficiency (CI)is an example of a non-strabismic binocular dysfunction that affects 1 in 12, but not Jacob...not anymore!  In this video Jacob describes how he no longer has double vision or headaches with classroom reading, homework assignments and computer tasks.  Better yet, he is now able to read in the car and not get sick! Vision therapy successfully treated Jacob's binocular vision
problem and thus he is on his way to having a great senior year in High School!

 

Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D., FCOVD

Severe Convergence Insufficiency - treatment prevents a lifetime of struggle

Thanks to his primary care optometrist who identified, diagnosed and referred for proper treatment, this young boy was able to find the help he needed. Ian presented to Wow Vision Therapy with a severe form of Convergence Insufficiency (CI). This condition if not identified and treated would have led to a lifetime of struggle.

 

Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D., FCVOD

Convergence Insufficiency or ADD/ADHD?

Convergence Insufficiency is a vision disorder that affects nearly 1 in 12 children and has consequences to a child's quality of life. This serious vision problem does not cause blindness, but it's impact can be nearly as severe as shown by this video on The VisionHelp Channel...

A real live example of this is told by Aiden's Success Story. His behaviors before treatment looked like ADD/ADHD.

To see what has been published in the professional journals, Optometry Times published it's lead story in March 2009 showing the evidenced-based research.

Click here to see what Doctors are being taught about the most effective treatment for Convergence Insufficiency.

For more information on Convergence Insufficiency, go the The VisionHelp Blog

Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D., FCOVD

Raising public awareness for children's vision problems in 60 seconds

In 60 seconds and you will know why it is critically important to millions of children to find help that they need for their vision-related vision problem. Take a look...

 

Help be an advocate for children with vision-related reading problems...pass it on!

Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D,FCOVD

A look at convergence insufficiency and tracking problems...before and after vision therapy

Just as so many other children are affected (research shows 1 in 12) by this vision problem known as Convergence Insufficiency (CI), Josh also struggled. The impact on him was that he had double vision and loss of interest for reading. It also made it difficult for him to play baseball or most any ball sport. As a result Josh lacked confidence at school and on the playground. Now after successful completion of his office-based optometric vision therapy Josh no longer sees double when reading, his comprehension and reading speed has significantly improved and he is gaining skill and confidence in sports. Now that he has good binocular vision, Josh no longer struggles and is a happy kid!