In Chicago’s city and suburban public school districts, students who have been evaluated and identified as learning disabled receive special education services. Support varies and is based on the child’s Individual Education Plan, a comprehensive report developed by a team of designated school faculty. Contingent on the child’s weaknesses and strengths, the plan may include reading support programs, speech/language therapy, counseling sessions with a school social worker and other services deemed appropriate to advance the child’s academic and social/emotional development.

While the types of learning deficits and the causes are as varied as the children who experience them, the most common learning disabilities, according to a recent poll conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide, are difficulties with basic reading and language skills. As many as 80 percent of the students diagnosed with a learning disability have problems reading.

Although most schools offer excellent programs to assist "reading-challenged" kids, few parents are aware of an option that, with or without a school’s special education services, can produce dramatic improvements in reading-related activities. This option is called developmental vision therapy.

What is Developmental Vision Therapy?
This little-known "treatment" is an approach used by some optometrists, and it enables children – many of whom are diagnosed as learning disabled – to experience significant improvements with visual processing tasks. Across the Chicago area, only a handful of practices offer the service, but at Buffalo Grove-based Nierman Vision Center, Todd Cohan, O.D., sees upward of 10 kids each week for either a first-time visual efficiency evaluation or a vision therapy session. "The vast majority of the patients I see are brought by moms who have heard about the impact the program has made for other children," says Dr. Cohan.

It’s not difficult to see why Cohan’s appointment book is full. The latest findings reveal that the percentage of K-12 students identified as needing special education rose from 8.3 percent in 1976 to 11.8 percent in 1998. Parents, eager to enhance their child’s potential for success, are exploring and taking advantage of all available options.

And the earlier intervention begins, the better: Appropriate help by the first grade promises a normal reading ability for 90 percent of children with reading disabilities. If help is delayed to age 9, 75 percent will have trouble throughout their school careers.

Ronnie Sage is just one of the more than 135,000 Illinois children diagnosed with a learning disability (based on the Illinois Board of Education’s December 2001 report). Since second grade, he struggled to keep up with his classmates on reading-related assignments, complaining of fatigue and frustration when performing academic tasks despite wearing glasses that were prescribed to strengthen what one eye doctor described as "weakened eye muscles."

But during a routine annual eye exam at Nierman Vision Center in 2001, Larry Nierman, O.D., arranged for an evaluation of Ronnie’s functional vision. The assessment was recommended to determine if the 14-year-old would benefit from developmental vision therapy.

The Sage family, patients of Nierman Vision Center since 1997, had a family history of learning disabilities and reported concerns about Ronnie’s chronic headaches and extreme frustration and fatigue with his homework assignments, particularly those that required extensive reading. Dr. Nierman, his brother and business partner, David Nierman, O.D., and Dr. Cohan suspected Ronnie would be a prime candidate to benefit from the vision therapy program.

Success You Can See
"The system of developmental vision therapy, also known as developmental optometry, trains the eyes to work in tandem, including eye-teaming, tracking, visual motor, memory and accommodation (focusing for near tasks), visual processing, depth perception and ocular motor control functions," says Dr. Cohan.

In general, and contingent on the conditions that need improvement, the program typically involves a half-hour session one day a week with Dr. Cohan supplemented by an additional hour of at-home practice each day.

"Significant improvements in children with minor focusing or eye-tracking deficiencies are often realized within six weeks," says Dr. Cohan. "Those with multifaceted problems report a partial-to-complete remedy within two to nine months."

Dr. Cohan advises that red flags for parents might include any combination of the following symptoms:

• Headaches or eyes watering while reading
• Skipping lines or words jumping on the page
• Words shifting in and out of focus
• Eye fatigue after 30 minutes of near work
• Poor comprehension
• Better math skills than reading skills
• Trouble shifting focus from near to far

Ronnie, who reported experiencing the majority of these symptoms, began half-hour therapy appointments with Dr. Cohan twice a week in August 2001. After each session, Ronnie and his mom were taught to support the therapy at home with exercises. "Initially, Ronnie spent 20 minutes an evening on the tasks," says Denise Sage, Ronnie’s mom. "But as his eyes got stronger, he was able to run through the exercises at a much faster pace, so Dr. Cohan would prescribe more complex tasks to advance the progress."

According to Ronnie, his mother, the professionals at Nierman Vision Center and Ronnie’s teachers at Buffalo Grove High School, there was a significant improvement in Ronnie’s vision, related visual abilities and academic performance within a short period of time. "After two months in the program, Ronnie’s reading ability improved dramatically," says Sage. "We saw an incredible change in his comprehension, attention span and his grades. His success has affected our entire family and has changed our lives so much for the better."

"I went from being completely frustrated, even though I got a lot of support at school, to making it onto the honor roll in my freshman year," says Ronnie. "I still have to do my vision therapy exercises, but it’s no big deal, especially when it means the difference between getting F's or A's."

For more information about developmental vision therapy, contact Nierman Vision Center at 847-459-6626 or 312-337-1126. Nierman Vision Center is a full-scope optometry practice, specializing in routine and emergency eye care and the latest advancements in FDA-approved treatments for optimum eye health and vision.

Want to see more?

• Learning to Learn Differently: Helping your LD Child to Excel
• Adventures of a Reluctant Reader: Learning at an Individual Pace
• Here’s an IDEA: Earlier Help for Special Needs Children
• Talk about it!