2021 Vision & Learning Grant announced
“Kayla struggled with reading all throughout her elementary school years. The TAKS test was always her “worst fear”. Her eyes got tired, jumped around the page, strayed off and just made reading passages something she wanted to avoid all together. After vision therapy, Kayla has excelled at reading, spelling and has a new air of confidence! We will be forever GRATEFUL for what you have done for Kayla. It’s people like YOU who change Lives!!”
– Parents of a grant recipient
Please read the following carefully and scroll to the bottom to download the Grant Application.
The Optometry Center for Vision Therapy initiated The OCVT Vision and Learning Grant in 2009. The purpose of the grant is to help improve the reading and learning of deserving Austin and San Antonio area students who have learning-related vision problems contributing to their reading and learning difficulties. To date, a total of over forty (40) recipients from different schools have benefited from the grant.
OCVT’s grant is in the form of services provided. OCVT will provide comprehensive eye exams, evaluations and vision therapy treatments for the selected students at no cost.
Vision Therapy is an individualized program of prescribed activities using specialized instruments and computer technology to treat patients with visual system deficiencies. It is often the treatment for diagnosed visual disorders that contribute to reading and learning difficulties.
OCVT’s Vision Therapy program consists of Doctor prescribed one-on-one in clinic weekly sessions with a highly trained vision therapist and assigned home visual exercises. Regular progress evaluations monitor progress and modify treatment as needed. Patients typically achieve their vision therapy goals in 6 to 10 months.
2021 Grant Guidelines:
- In 2021, two (2) students will selected recipients of the grant
- Only 1 student per school will be eligible for the grant
- Only applications submitted by a school will be accepted
- A school is limited to 1 grant application (1 student candidate for the Grant)
- The Grant Application can be viewed and printed from the bottom of this document
- During the application period, communications regarding the grant is exclusive between schools and OCVT
- Student must be Grades K to 6
- Grant application submission starts February 1, 2021
- The deadline for Grant application submission is May 15, 2021
- Grant recipients will be announced on May 30, 2021
- A Grant recipient will be provided a comprehensive eye examination and in-depth evaluations by OCVT to validate learning-related vision problem
- Only Grant recipients validated to have a learning-related vision problem will qualify for the weekly vision therapy treatments
- Students who qualify for vision therapy treatments will be required to regularly attend weekly vision therapy sessions (45 minutes in duration) throughout the treatment period (typically 6-10 months). Excessive or two (2) consecutive absences from the Vision Therapy treatments automatically disqualify the student from the grant
- A list of alternate Grant candidates will be maintained by OCVT to select from in the event a Grant recipient does not have a learning-related vision problem or is disqualified because of attendance infractions
- OCVT’s number of Grant awards is limited and the selection process is very competitive.
School Responsibilities:
- Implement a competitive process for selecting the school’s grant candidate.
- Fill out and mail application to OCVT by May 15, 2021
Student/Parent Responsibilities:
- Parent signs consent form allowing student to be eligible for the grant and committing to the student’s regular attendance of weekly vision therapy treatments at OCVT
- Student’s attendance at all pre-treatment OCVT eye exams and evaluations
- Student’s regular attendance at weekly vision therapy sessions at OCVT
- Perform student’s prescribed home activities
OCVT Responsibilities:
- Provide schools information about the Vision and Learning Grant
- Offer seminars for schools and teachers on Vision Therapy and the Vision and Learning Grant at OCVT
- Provide tips to teachers on pre-screening detection techniques for learning-related vision problems
- Provide comprehensive eye exam for the student to evaluate eye health and vision needs at no cost
- Provide in-depth Evaluations for the student at no cost. Evaluations serve to determine the presence of learning-related vision problems and to prescribe the appropriate Vision Therapy program
- Provide weekly vision therapy treatments and progress evaluations at no cost
- Provide progress evaluation reports (with parents consent) to the school
- Collaborate with the student/parent on a workable schedule for treatments
Grant Informational Seminars at OCVT:
Seminars are scheduled by request.
Request via email connect@ocvt.info
OCVT Contact for Grant
Dindo Rivera
Grant Administrator
512-614-1640 or 210-490-9900
dindo.rivera@ocvt.info
The Vision and Learning Grant is a community outreach initiative of The Optometry Center for Vision Therapy.
