An Ophthalmologist diagnosed our daughter with Amblyopia on April 21st, 2006. She was 5 years and 4 months (one day shy). And the journey began. I recall how her right Amblyopic eye seemed different almost darker to me. When I asked the Ophthalmologist about Amblyopia, I was told: it was a brain injury, to google the answer, given a brochure, and to patch for three months -15 hours per week. I was surprised to be advised to “google” the answer but in hindsight it was the best thing that could have happened. I remember seeing MN Vision Therapy Center at some prior years’ home school conferences and I also had a friend to consult who had shared information about her child in the past. I researched and read. We consulted with an M.D. in the field of retained reflexes and we made an appointment with Dr. Mowbray at MN Vision Therapy Center as we continued to see an Ophthalmologist.
The two disciplines of Ophthalmology and Developmental Optometrist part ways in this area so it became something difficult to discern as we wanted to do what was right on our daughter’s behalf. Under Dr. Mowbray’s recommendation, we began the Preschool Guided Development Program at MN Vision Therapy with weekly appointments and daily home therapy. We received incredibly insightful information from her therapist. We consulted with our therapist often and she always had tremendous resources to offer us. In fact, early on, after her opinion, we decided to part ways with the patching concept. After this program was completed, her therapist guided us with exercises to continue at home over the next year until our daughter could be re-evaluated for the formal vision therapy program. While trying to marriage the two disciplines of medicine, I continued to do lots of red/green and patchee exercises as part of her repertoire. We consulted Ann regarding our daughter beginning kindergarten and learning to read and write. After contemplation on the best course regarding her academics, we decided to hold off on much of the language arts throughout kindergarten. We also had the resource of a public school teacher who home schooled a child with a visual issue who is now an adult as well as my Mother who is a 32-year public school teacher and veteran. She stated, “kindergarten is about readiness and our daughter is bright and would quickly catch on”. Katherine’s therapist was very reassuring for us. In Winter/Spring 2007, we consulted her regarding possible OT for our daughter with the thought that the perceptual imbalance throughout early childhood may have affected other fine & gross motor skills as well as sensory development. After evaluation, our daughter received 8 sessions of OT spread over the Spring & Summer 2007.
We requested to meet with her therapist on January 31, 2007, to see how we were progressing with home therapy. She again provided tremendous insight and guidance on what to focus on during the following months. Our daughter was re-evaluated for formal vision therapy on July 20, 2007 by Dr. Mowbray. She seemed elated to tell us that our daughter was seeing 20/20 with her glasses. And we were very happy to hear the news. Formal vision therapy began September 19, 2007. During the therapy, we continued to work as a team and I continued to learn more incredible information about vision.
Our daughter’s final session was June 18, 2008, nearly two years from the date we first began. We are so very thankful as our daughter’s visual system appears to be teaming, focusing, tracking, converging, diverging, integrating as normal. It also appears her acuity has come in line. We are very, very grateful for Dr. Mowbray’s commitment to this field and encourage her in her endeavors related to new findings in the field of vision. Thank you.
To end with the same comment made in the beginning, “the journey began”. And I am very grateful, as we have learned so much more than we might have otherwise. I have learned more about the brain, vision, reflexes, motor skills, and the list goes on. It has been fascinating. Through the knowledge received, we have become better parents and teachers for our daughter who also worked so hard.
Danielle (Katherine’s Mother)
