VT Works

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of conducting Sit Downs with many remarkable people in vision therapy. When the series recently restarted, a colleague, who asked to remain anonymous, suggested turning the lens the other way once again. What follows is our conversation about mentorship, clinical growth, and what continues to drive my work… Read more

For the benefit of our readers, can you describe your current role and how you are involved in the field today? I am currently the Lead Vision Therapist at Bella Vision in Spartanburg, SC. I work under Dr. Janet Wilson seeing patients while overseeing our practice’s vision therapy program. If we go back to the… Read more

For the benefit of our readers who may be meeting you for the first time, can you share how you found your way into Developmental Optometry and detail your current role in the profession?  As many of you know, I happen to share a surname with a prominent figure in our field. Just as my… Read more

Vision Therapy is not a profession built for applause. There are no stadium lights, no roaring crowds, no final buzzer signaling victory. There is no highlight reel at the end of a session, no podium to step onto after a breakthrough, and yet, every day, Vision Therapists step into quiet rooms and do work that… Read more

For the benefit of our readers, can you share how you first became involved in Developmental Optometry and how that role has evolved over time? Interestingly, I’m a product of the Tour de Optometry. Ironically, I started out wanting nothing to do with vision therapy. I even remember telling another pre-optometry student that I chose… Read more

When Larry Fitzgerald is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the headlines will surely focus on the numbers: the catches, the yards, the longevity, the loyalty to one franchise. And rightly so. Few receivers in the history of the NFL combined durability, grace, and production the way he did. But if you zoom… Read more

For the benefit of our readers who may be meeting you for the first time, can you share how you found your way into vision therapy and what drew you to this profession? Seventeen years ago I moved from California to Washington and, on a whim, replied to an ad for a Patient Care Coordinator… Read more

We have all had those days. No matter how well you planned things out, no matter how good your intentions may have been, no matter how much excitement you felt for the tasks ahead, you arrive at the end of your day asking yourself what went wrong. Maybe even give a brief and somewhat cynical… Read more

A little more than a decade ago, maybe more, come to think of it, I started something simple on this blog. I emailed members of the OVDRA community a short list of questions and shared their written responses here. The interviews were named Sit Downs. No rush. No polish. Just thoughtful answers from people doing… Read more

A tribute to Dr. Bob Sanet was recently published in Vision Development & Rehabilitation, honoring a man whose influence on our profession remains difficult to measure. I was invited to contribute in a very small way, which felt both humbling and appropriate, as Dr. Sanet’s legacy continues to receive acclaim. Tip of the cap to… Read more

Working with people day in and day out can be extremely rewarding. As they progress, both in life and within a tailor made Vision Therapy program, it can feel very good to know we have played a small part in their newfound success. Yes, they did most of the work, and yes, they deserve most… Read more

I watched a documentary recently that wasn’t about medicine, education, or even neuroscience, but it lodged itself firmly in my visual brain. It focused on scale. On coordination. On what happens when complex systems stop fighting themselves and start moving together. The kind of story that makes you pause, not because it’s loud, but because… Read more

Some days in Vision Therapy, you walk into the room ready for anything: accommodative lags, Brock String mishaps, maybe even the occasional dramatic sigh from a teenager. And then there are the days when your smallest, sweetest 7-year old patient looks you right in the eyes, leans in, and whispers, “I might need to say… Read more

In response to my last post, I’ve received quite a few emails and texts, most of them warm, heartfelt, and full of support. Our community has lost a pillar in Dr. Bob Sanet, and when something like this happens, our instinct is to pull closer, to remind one another of the support we share and… Read more

As I sit down to begin writing this post, Dr. Bob Sanet continues to fight for his miracle, though word has reached me that his final breath may be drawing near. Out of deep respect for his life, his loved ones, his family and friends, no one will read this until after he has left… Read more

Level Three – DROP OUT / ADD IN SHUFFLE By the time a patient reaches Level Three of the Randolph Shuffle, they have established a strong foundation in isolated and combined movements and are ready to challenge their internal organization at a higher level. The Drop Out / Add In Shuffle introduces a dynamic cognitive-motor… Read more

After my last post, I received an email asking about the methods I use to “pressure” patients when needed. I truly believe the question was sincere and came from a good place, specifically, what do you do in those challenging sessions when a patient is checked out, resistant, or simply not giving their best effort?,… Read more

In the world of Vision Therapy, progress is rarely just about prisms, targets, lenses, or activities. Alas, it’s about people. Before a patient can follow our guidance, trust our interventions, or lean into the often-emotional process of change, they must first invest in our product, and in many ways, invest in us. When they sense… Read more

The first time I met Dr. Bob Sanet (circa 2000), it never occurred to my boyishly awestruck mind that one day I may find myself sitting in his living room, discussing pride and gratitude, discussing the contentment he felt with his accomplishments, discussing the power of choosing the positive, and discussing the rapidly approaching end… Read more

This week, two young ladies reminded me why this work is as heartbreaking as it is rewarding. Both are teenage girls – bright, capable, and full of potential – yet each carrying the weight of emotional struggles far heavier than any young person should bear. Although their mental and emotional health is being handled outside… Read more

Level One – Regular Shuffle The first level of the Randolph Shuffle introduces participants to the foundational movements and helps them develop coordination, balance, and rhythm. This level focuses on isolating body movements, first with the arms, then with the legs, before progressing to more integrated sequences. The main goal is to establish smooth, flowing… Read more

Every once in a while, someone enters our lives and leaves such a profound mark that their influence continues to ripple long after the moment has passed. This week, we witnessed one of those moments. After sharing my personal message to Dr. Bob Sanet, this blog received more than 300% more views than ever before.… Read more

Dear Dr. Sanet, There are moments in every profession when we stop to reflect, not just on the work, but on the people who have shaped it. In the field of Developmental Optometry, your name stands tall among those few who have not only defined what we do, but who we strive to become. You’ve… Read more

The Randolph Shuffle is an exercise designed to improve body coordination and internal control. Its purpose is to enhance the connection between the body and mind, particularly as it relates to visual processing. This practice encourages the integration of the body’s movements, focusing on balancing and coordinating the top, bottom, and sides of the body… Read more

Suit the Action to the Word, the Word to the Action ~ William Shakespeare Have you ever made a mistake in the therapy room? Not the “oops, I forgot to prep the Hart Charts” kind of mistake, but the kind that hits in the gut. The kind where a patient’s reaction, or lack of one,… Read more

On occasion, another Vision Therapist will reach out to me for advice. Sometimes it’s something simple like where to order more Lifesaver Cards, and other times it’s a more complex question, like how do you figure out if your patient is really seeing the Haidinger Brush? There never seems to be a one size fits… Read more

There are certain concepts no parent wants to face, and witnessing your child’s suffering is always near the top of the list. Sure, broken bones and sinus infections will occur, and while challenging in the moment, they will pass. But real pain, the kind that settles deep in the heart and lingers long after the… Read more

We have all had that patient. The one that grabs a small piece of your heart and remains there, most times without even knowing it’s happening. The one we are a little extra motivated to help. The one you sit and listen to a bit more intently. The one for whom a tear may be… Read more

Vectograms don’t always get the spotlight. They aren’t the flashiest tool in the therapy room, and they’re not likely to show up in a trendy Instagram reel. But when used well, they’re one of the most effective ways to help a struggling visual system organize, stabilize, and connect. They offer reliable feedback, a meaningful challenge,… Read more

After a lengthy conversation about setting her child up for success, a parent asked me recently how I become so invested in a child’s success? “Are you this invested in all the kids here?” Well, yes. I often joke the reason I can become so invested in my patients is because I have no life.… Read more

The shift to virtual learning, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has had a profound impact on how humans learn across the globe. While learning on this medium has certainly opened doors for flexibility and accessibility, it has also posed significant challenges that may be hindering educational progress in the long term. And just so we’re… Read more

Read more

This is not a VT related post, so if you have come here hoping to find one, there will be no hard feelings should you decide to stop reading now. My dad was born on February 8, 1947 in a three room hospital in South San Francisco, CA. He grew up three blocks from his… Read more

I recently shared the opportunity I was given to participate in an interview with Dr. Bob Sanet, Dr. Leonard Press, and Dr. Ben Winters as we discussed the success of Dr. Sanet’s five part seminar, the impact it has had on him and he on it, and the hope of how his legacy will continue… Read more

I wrote in a recent post about the power of Dr. Bob Sanet’s seminars, the value in preserving the experience on video, and the pure gratitude felt when understanding the content is available for years to come, thanks to Emergent. I have also really been enjoying the hundreds of pages of commentary offered by another… Read more

If challenged to characterize Dr. Bob Sanet’s Seminar Series in a word or two, my initial offering might include powerful, insightful, and meaningful. Apparently, many within our profession agree, as many who have attended through the years seem to walk away in awe, having experienced immeasurable change in ourselves and in each other. Mix in… Read more

When you strip away all the perfunctory hopes most parents have for their kids, one very human emotion tends to emerge; we all just hope we don’t screw up. We want our kids to feel success, we want them to find their best selves, and we want them to flourish in the spirit of the… Read more

Misalignment – the incorrect arrangement or position of something in relation to something else ~ Oxford Dictionary Many aspects of our lives require alignment – schedules, vertebrae, even the tires on your car. As a species, we tend to like things in order, even those of us who are not the best at creating it.… Read more

Read more

It always fascinates me a little how the universe constructs itself. Ideas come and go, people walk out of your life as quickly as they walked in, and our sense of self seems to change as every season passes. Sometimes the sun is shining on the inside, while other times the inner hurricane of despair… Read more

As the 2023 iteration of the Sanet Seminar concluded, two concepts have become apparent; retirement has slowed Dr. Bob Sanet down exactly none, and those of us who have spent this year attending his lecture have experienced immeasurable change in ourselves and in each other. Mix in the universal love for our fellow humans floating… Read more

My guess is we have all had those patients – the ones who leave an indelible mark on our lives. Maybe you connected over a common interest, a favorite sports team, or even were invited to watch a performance; whatever the reason, they will likely never be forgotten. My sense is to qualify this a… Read more

As a general rule, the trampoline is not a tool we use when treating patients with Traumatic Brain Injury, at least not initially. Often times, simple everyday movements are enough to trigger symptoms so there is really no need to up the ante by asking patients to bounce. Other triggers may be riding in the… Read more

I don’t think it’s any secret that I am enamored with Dr. Bob Sanet’s message. The man is purely a VT genius. I participated in his seminar three times between 2002 and 2007 and before arriving in San Diego this weekend, it would have been difficult for me to believe he has been able to… Read more

When Dr. Bob Sanet refers to a concept as “huge” in his model of vision, it’s usually a good idea to sit up and pay attention; at least that has been my experience. OK, wait, that is not right. My reality is more along the lines of “what did he just say?” as my brain… Read more

Imagine when you wake up tomorrow morning the world being different. Lights are brighter, sounds more piercing, smells are repulsive, your morning routine is replaced by bouts of dizziness and nausea, double vision, heat waves shimmering in your peripheral vision, spasms of muscles in your head and neck that you never knew existed, and the… Read more

As a function of personal growth, I’ve been diving into different perspectives on the human experience. Podcasts from Psychologists, lectures by Psychiatrists, studies presented by Sociologists, and even made it through a one-day seminar (online) by an Anthropologist. My goal in doing all of this is to better understand what motivates people – or better… Read more

A Message from Rod K. Bortel March 20, 2020 Dear Doctor, As optometric practices across the country are closing to protect patients and staff from the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we would like to help mitigate the impact on your practice and VT patients. Patients who cannot come into your practice may use our home therapy programs… Read more