"Peculiar eyes" and learning difficulties.

By Margaret K. Dore, Esq.; edited by George Dever, O.D. © 1998.

We’ve all seen them, "peculiar" or different eyes: "cross-eyed"; "wall-eyed"; and as described in the feature article, "lazy eyed".

There are other eyes that look normal, but are nonetheless peculiar, i.e. unable to track a line of print or to change focus quickly from a blackboard to a school desk.

For the person with such eyes or visual conditions, labels of dyslexic, learning disabled and attention deficit are common. The proper label, vision disorder, is often applied to only the most obvious condition. As described in the feature article, persons with such conditions can be wrongly told that nothing can be done.

In fact, these vision disorders are often highly treatable with "vision therapy".

Vision therapy (eye exercises) is a protocol in which individual visual skills are learned or re-learned. With vision therapy, a "developmental" optometrist or "vision therapist" works with a patient first with each eye alone, and then as the patient becomes proficient with each skill, with both eyes together. Success requires dedication by both the optometrist or vision therapist and the patient.

The results of vision therapy can be dramatic: a "dyslexic" child working at grade level for the first time; or in my own case, an adult able to return to law school and become a practicing attorney. Vision Awareness and its national affiliate Parents Active for Vision Awareness (PAVE), are dedicated to the message that vision therapy works. To this end, both organizations maintain referral lines for developmental optometrists, (206) 996-6466 and (800) PAVE 988 respectively. Both organizations also produce printed materials such as this newsletter and are available for speaking engagements. (Vision Awareness also provides referrals for other therapies including auditory integration training).

Those with peculiar eyes, especially the children, need our help. The form on page 4 is available for this purpose. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated.

Margaret Dore, President