Author: Olga Szemetylo

The Silent Crippler of Children

Posted on by Olga Szemetylo

Convergence Insufficiency:The Silent Crippler of Children

CI continues to affect at least 10% of school-aged children

The binocular vision disorder known as Convergence Insufficiency (CI) has been thoroughly researched over 10 years with gold-standard studies, and yet two years since the landmark research publication of these studies, CI continues to affect at least 10% of school-aged children, as well as some adults including those who have suffered traumatic brain injury. CI has been coined the silent crippler of children because of its serious impact on near-centered visual tasks such as reading, in the absence of any impact on eyesight or eye health.  Continue reading “The Silent Crippler of Children” →

How Vision Therapy Helped My Son

Posted on by Olga Szemetylo

How Vision Therapy Helped My Son

Kaelen’s Story

My youngest son Kaelen was in fifth grade when I began working at Hope Clinic. Unlike his older brother Jameson, who read voraciously, he had not ever liked to read or sit on my lap to be read to. When the boys were little and I told them bedtime stories, Kaelen would usually swing on the bars of the bunkbeds in their room, humming or making other noises, but rarely looking at the book. Later, he did not make great grades in school, though he was generally cooperative, and the fact that teachers liked him allowed him to “get by” without any red flags.   Continue reading “How Vision Therapy Helped My Son” →

Vision Disorders contribute to learning difficulties

Posted on by Olga Szemetylo

Vision Disorders contribute to learning difficulties

Vision may be one of the missing links to helping students learn.

Barbara Scola, a Director of Pupil Services, brought vision therapy to her school. “I was working on my master’s thesis and had the opportunity to work with a student who had excellent comprehension when the material was read to him, but struggled when he tried to read on his own.”   Continue reading “Vision Disorders contribute to learning difficulties” →