Sadie's Success Story

Sadie is a very normal nine-year-old girl. She likes new baby kittens, playing centerfielder on the baseball team, and beating her brothers in games. She has two older brothers and two younger. A year ago, this was not the same story. Everything appeared normal on the outside but when Sadie would try to communicate, she was lost. She was frustrated, angry, confused and scared. Directions confused her, trying to see letters and make them into words frustrated her. she never attempted reading on her own. You could not leave her unattended. she would get lost, she could not remember where she was or how she got there, (this caused her to be very fearful). She would climb a tree and not know how to reverse to come down. As her mother and teacher (we home educate), I felt like a failure. Mostly, I thought it was discipline and emotional problems from losing her father to cancer at age three. A good friend of mine said, "You are always researching and finding answers. Did you ever think that maybe you need to research and find answers for Sadie?" Duh! Sadie had been with a local retired reading teacher for a year. She had given up. I don't know what to do for her. We are getting nowhere. She hits her head and refuses to try. I called our Home School Family coordinator. Immediately she set up an appointment with a reading consultant from Pennsylvania . He listened to me describe Sadie's behavior and his words were .. "You find the Best Behavioral Optometrist in the state of Texas ." How do I do that? . "the Web." I talked to other doctors and educators about my search and they were clueless. It took about a week of searching and a month of testing and we connected with Dr. Denise Smith of Austin , Texas . In just a matter of weeks, I saw my lost little girl start to melt the ice that had frozen her world. Things became clear to her for the very first time. She knew she wasn't dumb, she knew that she was like everyone else. The light bulb was turning on. There were answers. There was help. It didn't take brain surgery and I could help in the therapy. We have had the most wonderful year of growing into a special young lady. I know we found "The Best in Texas".

Allen Temple

Allen's Vision Therapy graduation photo smile captures his success story. Before his graduation, he hated photos and would only force a smile. His graduation smile was his widest, most genuine I have ever seen.

Before vision therapy, Allen had 20/20 vision, but would sometimes read with one hand over his eye (he said it was easier), struggled to read stories with words he had easily mastered on flash cards, had frequent headaches (a neurologist wanted to do a CT scan), was easily frustrated, was embarrassed when a friend easily beat him on Playstation 2, usually could not catch a ball thrown more than five feet away, and would sometimes miss a ball with his bat by two feet (even though he is strong and fairly coordinated; he loved baseball and then didn't want to play again).

Now, Allen still has 20/20 vision but reads fluently and easily, without covering an eye (and sometimes asks to read more). He has headaches less frequently, is frustrated much less often, gloats that he easily beats an older neighbor on Playstation 2 (because of better eye-hand coordination), easily catches balls thrown 25 feet away, is eager to get back on the baseball field, and is even better at math (the program improves logical reasoning as well, to my surprise).

- A proud dad

Gina Cox

On February 27, 2000 I was in a near fatal, roll over, car accident that left me with severe double and blurred vision. Although, my vision gradually got better on its own it never got back to normal. I developed what I called the “Cinderella” syndrome; I had to be home no later than 9:30 at night or I would turn into a pumpkin (lose my vision). By 9:30 EVERY night my double and blurred vision would come back in full force, making it absolutely impossible to see. In June 2004, my best friend, and also one of my physical therapists, told me that she had attended a lecture about people who had vision problems due to some sort of traumatic brain injury. She told me that the presenter, Dr. Denise Smith was opening a new clinic in town and that I should visit with her since I still had double and blurred vision.

So, the next day I very excitedly called to make an appointment with Dr. Smith. I couldn't wait to find someone to help me “see” again. During my evaluation with Dr. Smith she told me that I was probably going to have to wear glasses with prism to help eliminate my double vision. In addition to doing Vision Therapy, I anxiously awaited my new freedom, my glasses . When I got the call that my glasses had arrived, I felt like a little kid who had been waiting up all night for Santa.

Words cannot describe how awesome the moment I put my glasses on felt! I told Dr. Smith and Sarah, my vision therapist, that the first thing I wanted to do was to go out on a REAL date with my husband, especially since I hadn't been able to stay out past 9:30 p.m. for the past four years! That weekend, we went out, and even better, we stayed out -- until 12:30 in the morning! We were both so excited that I called Dr. Smith's office on the way home and left a tearful, heartfelt message of thanks on the answering machine. My husband and I were both giddy, we were like school children, and it was the best night ever! My “Cinderella” days are behind me!

I can't thank Dr. Smith enough for opening the practice for people like me!! And to Sarah for being such a wonderful therapist and helping me every week of my life. I love my therapy sessions!

For more vision therapy success stories, please visit P.A.V.E. and visiontherapy.org.