A child can pass an eye exam and still lose their place on every line they read.
If your child is working hard and reading still isn’t getting easier, it’s worth ruling out a vision problem. A routine eye exam checks how clearly they see. We check how well their eyes work together on the page.
We don’t do routine eye exams. Our practice is built around vision therapy.
Many optometrists offer vision therapy as a small part of a general practice. At OCVT, it’s the center of what we do, so the children we see are often the ones who have already tried other things.
Our founder, Dr. Briana Larson, completed residency training in vision therapy with a focus on children. Fewer than 1% of optometrists have that training. She also coordinates the residency program at UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry, where she helps train the next generation of doctors in this work.
Her team of doctors and certified vision therapists works with families at all three of our offices.
- 2010Fellow, College of Optometrists in Vision DevelopmentBoard certified in vision development and therapy. Dr. Larson
- 2012Fellow, American Academy of OptometryDr. Larson
- 2013Mollie Armstrong Leadership AwardTexas Optometric Association. Dr. Larson
- 2014Fellow, Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation AssociationDr. Larson
- 2015Best Vision Therapy PracticeThe Austin Chronicle
- 2020Optometric Staff Member of the YearTexas Optometric Association. Ashley Coley
OD: Doctor of Optometry. COVT: Certified Optometric Vision Therapist.
Read a whole page and have no idea what it said? That’s not laziness. It’s a sign.
Maybe homework takes twice as long as it should. Maybe your child can read a paragraph out loud, then can’t tell you what happened in it. Maybe you’ve heard “they’re smart, they just need to focus” more times than you can count.
These patterns can have many causes. A vision problem is one of them, and it’s one that a standard eye exam isn’t designed to catch.
- Loses their place while reading
- Rereads, but can’t recall what they just read
- Skips or misreads small words
- Reverses letters or numbers
- Moves their head close to the page
- Has trouble copying from the board
Seeing clearly and reading comfortably aren’t the same thing.
To read, both eyes have to aim at the same word, move smoothly across the line, and stay focused for as long as the assignment lasts. When those skills aren’t working well together, a child can see every letter clearly and still find reading exhausting.
Vision therapy is not a cure for dyslexia. It treats visual problems that can get in the way of learning to read.
From first call to a clear answer
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A no cost consultation
You’ll talk with our team about what you’re seeing at home and at school, and we’ll explain whether a vision evaluation makes sense for your child.
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A full evaluation, if it’s a good fit
We look closely at how your child’s eyes work together, track, and focus, the skills reading depends on.
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A program built for your child
If we find a vision problem, we’ll create a therapy plan in our office or from home. OCVT has offered virtual vision therapy for more than 13 years.
From parents who’ve been where you are
What a few OCVT parents have shared about their child’s reading.
Her reading improved at a remarkable rate, in a 6-week span she went from reading at 2 levels below grade level to reading at grade level.
Before OCVT, Brady hated reading, a constant battle to read a simple passage… Reading is no longer a chore, the difference in our son is life changing.
She has improved 100%, back to being an avid reader, she reads all the time.
Questions parents usually ask us
“Our eye doctor said my child’s vision is fine.”
That’s very common, and it’s often true for eyesight. A standard eye exam mainly checks how clearly your child sees. A vision therapy evaluation looks at how the eyes work together while reading. A child can have both clear eyesight and a vision problem that makes reading hard.
“My child already has a tutor. Should we stop?”
No need to stop anything. We recommend that children already working with a tutor, an IEP, or other support also have a vision-related learning evaluation. That way, you’ll know whether vision is part of the picture.
“Is it a learning disability or a vision problem?”
From the outside, the two can look a lot alike, and some children have both. An evaluation focuses on the visual side, so you’ll have a clearer picture of what’s going on.
“Does vision therapy cure dyslexia?”
No. Vision therapy treats visual problems that can make learning to read harder. It works alongside the other support your child may already be getting.
“Do you take insurance?”
OCVT is out of network with insurance plans, and most plans don’t cover vision therapy directly. If you’d like to submit for reimbursement, we’re glad to provide the documentation your insurance company asks for. Our team can talk you through it during your consultation.
“Can we do this from home?”
Yes. OCVT has offered virtual vision therapy for more than 13 years, for families across most of the country.
If reading has been hard for a while, let’s find out whether vision is part of it.
Start with a no cost consultation at the office nearest you.
Austin, TX 78746
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