VT Works

I want to extend my utmost gratitude to everyone from the VT community! I am so incredibly honored to receive your support. Many of you have commented that my story is one that must be heard and spread. I clearly agree 100%, which is why I have created a blog, and launched this project to… Read more

I was so thrilled to meet both Robin and Jillian Benoit in Orlando a few weeks ago at COVD’s Annual Meeting. Their first book, Jillian’s Story, detailed Jillian’s life-changing success with Vision Therapy and was often suggested by my doctor as a “must read” to patients and other professionals.  It is a powerful and enlightening account… Read more

  WE DID IT!!! Thanks to EVERYONE that contributed to this wonderful cause. Something more formal coming soon, but for now, you are ALL fantastic!!   Read more

Last Friday, I posted a Sit Down with my friend, Cavin Balaster, who suffered a TBI in May 2011. Since that time, a mini-campaign has begun thanks to some great friends, as we all came to realize the potential impact Cavin’s book will have on Developmental Optometry and the world of brain injury sufferers.  Cavin… Read more

As part of our certification process, Vision Therapists are asked to respond to a series of Open Book Questions designed to assess and nurture the candidate’s knowledge.  For the last several years, one question in particular has addressed the concept of patient motivation, and how each Vision Therapist applies their own techniques for motivating patients… Read more

This post appears as part of a series called Sit Down – candid conversations with real people detailing their journeys and experiences with Vision Therapy. A Sit Down – with Cavin Balaster For the benefit of our readers, can you explain how you are involved in Developmental Optometry? Hi everyone, my name is Cavin. I have Diplopia… Read more

One aspect I really enjoy about my job is, it’s never boring.  Sure, there are the same old activities that I’ve done day after day that I probably could successfully execute in my sleep; and that part can be monotonous.  But beyond the repetitious activities are the amazing people. People who have a story to… Read more

If patients were ever to “read the book” on effective Vision Therapy, imagine how our model of vision would be changed. Compliance with home programs would be higher, endurance through long rehabilitative programs would be stronger and determination to find supreme visual efficiency would be greater across the board.  Wouldn’t that be nice.  Without overstating… Read more

If you took your car to the mechanic at the first sign of trouble, and were told it needed to be completely disassembled and reassembled in order to make it run better, what would you think? You may question what you’re supposed to do in the meantime?  Can the problem really be fixed?  Am I… Read more

During my acceptance speech for my award last week I acknowledged Abigail Holland COVT, whose story has really inspired me.  When I returned home from Florida, I received several emails asking if I would re-post the original story. Abby has now completed her COVT and is moving forward with her life. We are all so… Read more

Sitting in the lobby of the Rosen Shingle Creek hotel in Orlando, I am filled with two quite opposing emotions.  On the one hand it’s nice to be headed home to see my kids, sleep in my own bed, and have clothing options beyond the capacity of my suitcase; but on the other hand, a… Read more

Out the window of our landing plane, I was able to enjoy a few brief glimpses Orlando’s sunset yesterday evening. The beautiful view was symbolic both of the upcoming Annual Meeting – an awesome week which I always enjoy immensely – and of a patient that has been on my mind in recent days.  A… Read more

“So last night as I was closing up my binder of notes, I ran across some notes I had about magno and parvo cells and thus ended up dreaming all night long about them” This was the text message I received on my way into the office this morning from the COVT candidate I’m mentoring.… Read more

As described in this post last week, I recently found myself in a position of trying to explain the difference between depth perception and stereopsis to a COVT candidate.  In working to clearly understand it myself, assistance was sought out, and subsequently offered by four great doctors who were named in this post, and indirectly… Read more

At the risk of sounding cynical, and if I do then so be it, I’d like to pose a question that has been on my mind for several days now.  My question was spawned by a series of experiences occurring late last week, and brought to a head today when a parent informed me of… Read more

Admittedly, this story has nothing to do with Vision Therapy, but everything to do with the human spirit. Growing up with a handicapped sibling, these stories always carry a special meaning for me.  A true demonstration of the power behind lifting up those around you, as so many of us do in our Vision Therapy rooms.… Read more

Maven, refers to an expert or connoisseur in a particular field, who seeks to pass knowledge on to others. Or put another way, maven comes from Hebrew, via Yiddish (mevin), and means one who understands, based on an accumulation of knowledge. This according to the brains of Wikipedia. An interesting topic arose last night between myself and a COVT candidate… Read more

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take ~ Wayne Gretzky I doubt my first patient of the morning knows who Wayne Gretzky is, she does however, have something in common with him. They both seem to understand the importance of taking a shot. Living with a decompensating Convergence Insufficiency, my 49 year old… Read more

Last week we witnessed another stomping of Vision Therapy, compliments of this article detailing one Los Angeles school district employee’s limited view of  the many benefits offered.  It was an unfortunate publication representing the misconceptions surrounding VT and Developmental Optometry. This morning, a fantastic response written by Dr. Charles Boulet, appeared in the same publication and… Read more

Often times in Vision Therapy we look for the little things, small gains indicative of an upcoming eruption of progress.  This morning, I may have witnessed just that. My friend “S” is a very cautious 8 year old mostly due to his unstable visual system and partly because he is the oldest of four children… Read more

Again we’ve encountered a myth, an article the work of a sensationalist writer armed with more rhetoric than research, regurgitating falsehoods less appealing than yesterday’s breakfast, with hopes that the microcosmic pebble kicked will somehow cause a landslide of change.  The song is the same, sung as off key as ever – every note skewing facts… Read more

If anyone were to construct a shortlist of the finest Vision Therapists to emerge over the last 10 years, Samantha “Sam” Caldwell COVT would definitely be included.  A fixture at Alderwood Vision Therapy Center of Lynnwood, WA – the office of Dr. Nancy Torgerson – for the last 11 ½ years, Sam has improved hundreds… Read more

Friends ~ I came across this article while eating lunch today.  It has nothing to do with VT, but everything to do with the emotional well being of the kids we serve.  For those of us who primarily work with children, I offer it here as a friendly reminder to remain vigilant.  As a trusted… Read more

If there is one position in life I am most uncomfortable with, it is being at the center of attention.  I don’t like it.  I would much rather step back and give credit to others for their hard work. Some accuse me of being too humble, some say I am stupid for not taking more… Read more

At 6am this past Friday morning, our entire staff met in the front yard of our doctor’s house to begin a long journey – 5 1/2 hours by car, in fact – down to McAllen, Texas.  McAllen is a small city in the Southern tip of Texas within the Rio Grande Valley, whose southern city… Read more

It is not uncommon for patients entering Vision Therapy to have challenges with self esteem. School is tough, homework time is a war zone, and compared to their siblings and classmates, they’re just not keeping up. Frustration and anger lurk just below the surface, and are poised to erupt at the first sign of trouble.… Read more

Parenthood has taught me many lessons, and I am not too proud to admit that some of them have been neither easy nor obvious. If you recall the old cartoons where the Roadrunner clunks the Wile E. Coyote on the head several times with a ball peen hammer before the coyote realizes there is a… Read more

“As someone who has tried to explain to my struggling child that ‘the answer’ is not as important as how they arrived there, listen up. She doesn’t believe you.” This was the opening line of a parent’s rant last week after her daughter broke into tears during the first 10 minutes of our session, then… Read more

One of the more frightening places parents find themselves has to be on the island of the unknown.  A struggling child, a flood of emotion, and solutions that must seem an ocean away.  Their dilemma is simple, and yet very complex; how to rescue their child.  At times, it must feel like being stranded on… Read more

When I went to Paramedic School, one of my instructors used to recite a mantra that will forever be stamped in my consciousness: Do Not Get Cornered.  In that line of work, there are times that those injured or involved in an unfortunate situations do not realize that my hope was simply to help, and… Read more

Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is an organic-inorganic composite material produced by some mollusks as an inner shell layer; it is also what makes up the outer coating of pearls. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent. All this according to Wikipedia.  Coincidentally, or perhaps not, Pearl is also the first name of one of my more endearing patients and like her… Read more

I stumbled across this Huffington Post article while eating lunch today. Its title is 7 Things You Don’t Know About A Special Needs Parent. Admittedly it is not directly related to Vision Therapy, but it has everything to do with some of the children, and families, we treat. Growing up alongside a sibling with special… Read more

If ever you wanted to find someone to testify on what Vision Therapy isn’t, you wouldn’t have to look far. Unfortunately naysayers are common, and they seem to preach the same script – lack of evidence, smoke and mirrors, money hungry practioners blah, blah, blah – I’m sure you know the rest.  But all the… Read more

For anyone unfamiliar with the game of Blackjack, “doubling down”  represents a move in the card game where the player can double their bets at certain points in the hand, while awaiting the outcome.  The idea behind doubling down is to double your bet when you have the best opportunity of beating the dealer. Most of… Read more

If there is one comment that always makes me laugh on the inside, its related to a parent’s thoughts on my level of patience.  Usually these comments occur while I am walking a patient through a difficult activity, and mom or dad’s comments come as a complete surprise!  Such was the case recently while walking… Read more

One of the many lasting lessons taken from my time working with Dr. Bob Sanet was understanding the power and importance of preparation.  Prepare for your Vision Therapy sessions, prepare for testings and prepare for conferences. To the best of your ability, always know the patient’s situation before they walk in the door because “it… Read more

If there’s one thing all therapists universally strive for, it has to be rapport.  Rapport with patients, with doctors, with staff, and with other therapists.  After all, bickering our way through a day or a session doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? Sadly though, it happens.  We’ve all been there. Last Friday one of… Read more

We all find inspiration in our own unique places.  Mine comes from my younger brother, my kids, my patients, and anyone who has a unique perspective on society that they are willing to share.  Always attractive to me are people who take pride in existing “outside the box”, and those who dare to have an… Read more

Great news, friends!  Vision and reading are unrelated!  This according to a study recently published by the Center for the Study of Learning at Georgetown University Medical Center.   The senior study author Guinevere Eden tells us “Until now, there was still this uncertainty where some people were saying, ‘I know it’s controversial but I still believe that… Read more

My morning trek to the office sometimes will include a diversion to Starbucks, and this morning was a definitely a coffee morning.  I was surprised to see when I arrived, that the usual “morning rush” I encounter had missed me, or I it, and there was only one young woman sitting in the corner with… Read more

A few months ago, I posted an entry about “Polly”, a 22 year old patient who has a high amount of myopia to go along with her post surgical (for high exotropia) vertical imbalance.  You can read the original post here. In the weeks and months since my original post, Polly’s symptoms of dizziness and… Read more

  In previous posts, I have shared my friend Cavin’s story, as well as links to his blog.  In his latest entry, Cavin declares himself famous – ok, not really – as he proudly displays Dr. Kharrazian’s new book entitled Why My Brain Isn’t Working, which includes Cavin’s story of recovery.  As a Traumatic Brain Injury survivor, Cavin… Read more

Growing up along side a brother with special needs, I’ve come to really appreciate and embrace stories like this.  Please watch this short 6 minute video demonstrating the strength of a brother’s love – Autism included. Read more

In a perfect world, everyone would experience failure, and learn from it.  The negative spin of things not turning out the way we hoped would quickly turn into a positive plan for improving the outcome the next time. We would all accept failure as just another necessary step, and move on. If only the world… Read more

In 1975, Hans Furth and Dr. Harry Wachs published their construction of Jean Piaget’s theory in motion, in a book entitled Thinking Goes To School.  As the title suggests, the book reviews different strategies for injecting thinking into everyday classroom activities, or what Wachs and Furth refer to as “games”, in an effort to stimulate… Read more

Rejoice friends, for Marjie Thompson is smiling on us from some warm and peaceful place. Earlier this week, I stumbled across a new Facebook page that has emerged by the name Vision Therapy Parents Unite, which requires only a simple request to join. The page is a virtual town hall meeting for parents – answering questions,… Read more

Nothing is more challenging for doctors or therapists than patients who come to the office with the “let’s get this over with” look on their face.  The teenage girl who’s not afraid to let you know through body language that her bubble is being disturbed my mere presence.  The 9 year old boy who would… Read more

Recently discovered the game Pentago.  This is a great visualization, spatial awareness, perspective and visual planning exercise.  For those of you who work heavily in parquetry and geoboards, as we do, this may be another tool to consider.  Good stuff! From Wikipedia: Pentago is a two-player abstract strategy game invented by Tomas Flodén. The Swedish company Mindtwisterhas the rights… Read more

Growing up along side a sibling with developmental delays certainly left a lasting impression in my life, and I’ve written of my younger brother’s struggles in previous posts.  Although he was never diagnosed with more than a gross developmental delay, my hunch is by today’s standards, he would fall under a high functioning spectrum disorder.… Read more

Behavioral Optometry certainly has it’s naysayers, with most Ophthalmologists hovering near the top of the list.  For two professions that would seem from a distance to make natural allies, the strife between Ophthalmology and Optometry continues.  It’s a battle that has never really made sense to me, but by playing a little “tit for tat”,… Read more

The VisionHelp Group (www.visionhelp.com) recently released this excellent video.  It is a brief, yet powerful video, explaining the mission of this wonderful group of doctors.  I have received permission to post it here, and to encourage everyone to share it on their websites and professional Facebook pages. Borrowed from the VisionHelp website: The VisionHelp Group is an… Read more

If fatherhood has taught me anything, it’s that I am not perfect.  Not even close.  Many nights have been spent conferencing with my pillow, asking myself why certain situations with my kids produced the results they did.  After all, you’d think that spending all day every day helping other people’s kids would give me the skills… Read more

Made an interesting observation after reading this great blog entry by Dr. Carl Hillier on the Vision Help blog. One of my patient’s moms asked if her son (my patient’s sibling) could sit quietly in the corner of the VT room while I worked with his sister.  This little guy spent the entire hour playing… Read more

My friend Cavin, who suffered a Diffuse Axonal Injury after falling from scaffolding in 2011, maintains a blog detailing his recovery.  Cavin’s eloquent and gritty articulation style – mixed in with a quirky sense of humor –  provides a raw perspective on the physical, emotional, and neurological aspects of recovering from a TBI.  Even after… Read more

“If you tell me what I’m supposed to see, then I can look for it and tell you if I see it.” Sound familiar?  If I had a dollar for every time a patient has recited that line, I’d be writing this blog from a beach somewhere with a Mai Tai standing by.  Well, there’s… Read more

In our office – as in most Vision Therapy clinics – Visual Perceptual testing has become a necessary step of the overall diagnosis.  The goal of testing seems to be analyzing the visual perceptual skills necessary for learning and living, in hopes of discovering areas of strength and weakness.   Conventional wisdom says this process provides… Read more

Back in February, I wrote this post entitled “I don’t want to, and you can’t make me”.  The post chronicles my early dealings with Nick, a patient of mine, who had a most defiant attitude the first few times we met.  We worked through his struggles and defiance and actually developed a loving and almost… Read more

My thought in creating this blog was to provide an insider’s perspective into the life of a Vision Therapist.  Helping people succeed is dear to my heart, and sharing it seemed like the natural next step.   If you’ll permit me to deviate from that plan this morning, something closer to my heart is in the… Read more

The great Yogi Berra once said “you can learn a lot just by watching”.  True enough.  But how do we decide what we learn, and what is discarded? How do we filter the good from the bad, the insignificant from the necessary, and the important from the irrelevant? Where is the decision made and how… Read more

When it comes to managing insurance coverage, finding common ground is simple: we should just agree to disagree.  Whether patient or practitioner, opinions are strong as to which insurance to purchase, which insurance to bill, and which politician is talking the best talk about what is working. Optometry doesn’t seem immune to any of it,… Read more

Most of the Vision Therapy blogs I follow have been relatively quiet of late.  Proof positive that for those of us that who predominantly treat the school aged, the approaching summer break provides an excellent time to complete a Vision Therapy program, and we are all at our busiest.  Great news! Luckily, the efficacy of… Read more

A friend of mine shared the below photo with me.  You may want to fine tune your Figure Ground skills before walking on these rocks! Hopefully you can spot him, before he spots you. You may need to click on the picture to enlarge it. Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Read more

Robert Frost once wrote: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. It’s doubtful that Mr. Frost ever met a Behavioral Optometrist, or heard of Vision Therapy, for that matter.  His complete poem however, entitled The Road Not Taken, could easily be… Read more

As an avid sports fan, my usual morning routine includes ESPN’s “Sports Center” on TV in the background as I prepare for work – especially during baseball season.  Although I usually am more focused on the teams based in San Francisco, I do enjoy viewing the highlights and low lights in all sports.  Of particular… Read more

At some point in our lives, most of us have experienced an empty wallet.  Perhaps you’ve endured the stress of  splitting your last twenty dollars between gas for your car and the bare necessities to sustain your appetite until the next paycheck.  Or even worse, not having that twenty dollars and being left to wonder… Read more

My approach with the more challenging Vision Therapy cases always tends to be overly optimistic.  While it’s true that I am always suspect of any treatment that claims it can “cure anything”, evidence shows that Vision Therapy can produce gains in more aspects than not, since vision is the overriding input. At times though, even… Read more

Want to send a big THANK YOU to the ladies of the COVD International Office.  I have had the pleasure of speaking with Pam Happ, Jackie Cencer, Penny Melkerson-Kirby and Julie Ickes on separate occasions recently, and they are all a joy!  No matter how small or ridiculous my question or dilemma may be – and trust… Read more

We’ve all heard the old cliche about judging a book by it’s cover.  Whether we’re  talking books, old houses, restaurants, or even patients – especially patients – outward appearance usually is no reflection of content or character.  What’s more, judging someone or something based on what we see can be damaging, and just plain unfair.  I once… Read more

This past weekend, I prepared my next blog posting, which I had planned to finish editing and publish this morning.  But for now, it will have to wait. My heart and mind are elsewhere… After the events of yesterday, my thoughts are with the people in Boston, who were devastated by yet another senseless tragedy.… Read more

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Last week, in honor of Autism Awareness month, I posted a video of Ethan performing “Piano Man” by Billy Joel.  Here he is once again, performing the same song (plus an encore) at the Autism Speaks Chef Gala.  Such a great story! Read more

So it finally happened, Meghan and I had our first major issue.  A few months ago, I wrote an entry in this blog entitled A.D.D. this, which detailed my girlfriend’s struggles with her A.D.D. diagnosis, her experiences on a merry-go-round of medication, and subsequent entrance in to a Vision Therapy program.  Yesterday at lunch, we were… Read more

This story is a few years old, and the video has been floating around a while.    Every time it crosses my path, I stop to watch.  Truly a great story. I share it here again, in the spirit of Autism Awareness month.  Happy Friday! Read more

Dear Friends ~ a quick reminder that the opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone.  They are in no way associated with, or influenced by, anyone else.  It is my choice to exercise my right to free speech, and do so publicly.  These are simply my honest perceptions of my Vision Therapy world. A… Read more

It is not uncommon for patients and parents alike to ask why they have never heard of Vision Therapy prior to visiting a Behavioral Optometrist.  After all, other available therapy options like Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy seem to be more widely recognized in American households, regardless of a family’s participation in those programs.  While this question… Read more

In honor of April being Autism Awareness month, Dr. Rochelle Mozlin recently entered a great article detailing the Signs of Austism on COVD’s blog.  Coincidentally, I received an email from a friend last night, which included this video.  The young man is 6 years old and is diagnosed with Autism. Apparently  he is a big fan of Billy… Read more

One of my newest patients in Vision Therapy is a teenage boy with exotropia.  He is a charming young man, who has led a less than charmed life, through no fault of his own.  Born into a single parent household, he didn’t meet his biological father until he was almost a teenager.  As the story… Read more

Back in early February, I shared the story of a friend in a post entitled “A.D.D. this“. The entry chronicles the experiences of one person’s A.D.D. diagnosis, her subsequent encounters with medication after medication, and her eventual decision to remove herself from the pool of over-medicated Americans. As absurd as her story seems, the unfortunate reality is, cases… Read more

Last Wednesday marked the first day of Spring, which for all intents and purposes, has become one of my favorite days of the year.  Spring marks the beginning of warmer weather, the arrival of a new baseball season, and the opportunity to change into shorts and a T-shirt after work –  a personal favorite. The beginning of… Read more

Far be it from me to offer unsolicited parenting advice to others, while somehow blindly assuming that “my way” is more effective.  Lord knows, I tend to be less than appreciative when I’m on the receiving end of those conversations.  As a self imposed professional guideline, my advice generally remains within the confines of the therapy room –… Read more

Ok dads, time to put away your cell phones.  Our session has begun. Considering this is my second bash of technology in as many nights, I want to lead off by saying that it’s nothing personal. I love my cell phone, love my laptop, love the internet, and love the way social media allows us… Read more

When developing the the Austin Children’s Museum, the architects may not have had Dr. Harry Wachs in mind; they did however, inadvertently pay homage to a man that has contributed greatly to Behavioral Optometry’s understanding of child development.   The problem solving challenges available to children in the museum push the logical mind to a… Read more