Wow Vision Therapy Blog
From Frustration to Flourishing: How Vision Therapy Changed Finn’s Life
At Wow Vision Therapy, we often meet children who’ve lost their spark—kids who once loved learning but became discouraged when school didn’t come easy. One of those children was Finn. The following is based on the Story provided to us by Finn’s mother, reminds us just how profound the impact of vision therapy can be.
Finn is a bright and imaginative 8-year-old girl who, despite entering kindergarten full of enthusiasm, quickly began to fall behind. While her twin sister moved forward with learning letters and reading, Finn became frustrated and discouraged. Her parents, both loving and proactive, saw their once-cheerful daughter grow sullen and angry. Simple reading tasks became daily battles. And in the face of persistent struggles, heartbreaking words emerged from Finn: “I’m stupid.” “I’ll never learn to read.”
Her parents knew something wasn’t right.
By the end of first grade, Finn began to describe seeing double and feeling as though her eyes were crossing when reading. Initially, this was dismissed as a stalling tactic—until a visit to Dr. Copeland at Innovative Eye Care in Kalamazoo changed everything. Within minutes, Finn was diagnosed with Convergence Insufficiency, a binocular vision disorder that was making her world literally double and unstable when trying to focus. Dr. Copeland referred the family to Wow Vision Therapy in Grand Rapids.
Their first visit to Wow Vision Therapy confirmed what Dr. Copeland suspected—Finn not only had convergence insufficiency, but also had delays in eye movement/tracking and visual processing which meant she was struggling with severe visual instability. A customized treatment plan of 30 sessions was recommended, and the family committed to twice-weekly drives to Grand Rapids.
Within just three weeks, everything changed.
Finn’s reading began to improve by leaps and bounds. Words stopped moving on the page. Her confidence grew. And the school psychologist, who had been evaluating Finn for a potential IEP, found her academic performance had jumped by 200% in just five weeks—eliminating the need for special education placement altogether.
A huge part of Finn’s success was the special bond she developed with her vision therapist, Ms. Lexi. Finn looked forward to every session and came home energized, excited, and motivated. Her parents committed to daily home reinforcement exercises, and together, with consistent therapy and loving support, Finn reached her goals.
By the end of her program, Finn was reading at grade level with comprehension, fluency, and—most importantly—joy. Trips to the library are now a highlight. She talks about books, understands plots, and reads aloud with confidence. Her personality has blossomed—full of laughter, silliness, and self-assurance.
Today, Finn is a happy, silly, confident child again. Her family describes the experience in one powerful sentence: “WOW changed all our lives.”
At Wow Vision Therapy, Finn’s story is a powerful reminder that behind every child who struggles is a reason—and with the right diagnosis, caring professionals, and a personalized treatment plan, transformation is possible.
If your child is struggling with reading, attention, or visual discomfort, don’t wait. Let us help uncover the hidden vision problems that could be holding them back. Contact Wow Vision Therapy today to learn more.
Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D., FOVDR
Founder, Wow Vision Therapy