Wow Vision Therapy Blog
Solving the Hidden Vision Problems That Held Elianah Back
At Wow Vision Therapy, we know that vision is more than just 20/20 eyesight. For many children, the struggles they experience with reading and learning are rooted not in clarity of sight, but in how their eyes work together, move across a page, and process visual information. This article is a tribute to Elianah’s journey, a powerful example of how diagnosing and treating developmental vision problems can lead to life-changing results.
A Surprising Discovery
In the fall of 2024, Elianah’s teacher pulled her mother aside to express concern about Elianah’s learning difficulties; it came as a complete surprise. Elianah hadn’t voiced any complaints at home, and her family had no reason to suspect a vision problem. But, when asked, Elianah said letters and words came apart and ran together frequently. How would her parents and teacher have known?
Not Just Eyeglasses—A Deeper Diagnosis
Encouraged by her daughter’s teacher and remembering the positive experience her stepson had years ago in our practice, Elianah’s mom contacted us at Wow Vision Therapy. During her comprehensive binocular vision and developmental evaluation, Dr. Bultsma diagnosed Elianah with several functional vision conditions that explained her learning struggles:
- Convergence Insufficiency – difficulty with the eyes teaming together at near
- Oculomotor Dysfunction – poor eye tracking and difficulty following lines of print
- Visual Processing and Visual Integrative Delays – impacting her ability to recognize, organize, and make meaning from visual input
Although Elianah had a mild degree of farsightedness (hyperopia), it was clear that glasses alone weren’t the solution. Her challenges had far more to do with how her visual system was functioning developmentally. Without treatment, these difficulties can lead to frustration, avoidance of reading, and reduced confidence.
From “I’ll Never Read” to Loving Letters
Through one-on-one vision therapy sessions combined with home support, Elianah began to build the visual skills she needed for success. And the transformation was remarkable.
Her mom shares:
“By the end of April 2025, Elianah was like a different girl. Her confidence is up. Her teacher says she makes eye contact now—something she couldn’t do before. She used to get frustrated after just a few letters and say, ‘I’m never gonna read.’ Now, she enjoys being challenged by words. She loves spotting letters and numbers everywhere!”
A Message to Parents
To other families who may be unsure whether vision is playing a role in their child’s learning challenges, Elianah’s mom offers this advice:
“I absolutely recommend Wow Vision Therapy to any parent who’s curious about how it works. Yes, it meant pulling back on other activities during the week—but it’s been so worth it.
Seeing Her Future Clearly
At Wow Vision Therapy, we look beyond vision screenings and basic eye exams to evaluate how the entire visual system is functioning. For children like Elianah, the right diagnosis and customized treatment plan can mean the difference between continued struggle and empowered success.
We are so proud of Elianah and thankful for her family’s trust in our care. And a special shoutout to her vision therapist, Connie, for helping guide her transformation!
If your child is struggling with reading, attention, or confidence in school, they may be experiencing undiagnosed binocular vision or visual processing issues.
Contact us today at wowvision.net to schedule a comprehensive developmental vision evaluation.
Better vision. Better learning. Brighter futures.
Dan L. Fortenbacher, O.D., FOVDR
Founder, Wow Vision Therapy