Kinsey's Amblyopia Success

We are so pleased that we have a success story to write!

A little about Kinsey’s vision history

She had a congenital blocked tear duct in her left eye that was surgically opened when she was almost 2 ½ years old. We had always noticed that her eyes appeared a little different, and a few friends had noted it also, at various times. Whenever we would mention it to her pediatrician and primary optometrist, they didn’t see anything abnormal, and would tell us everything looked normal.

Kinsey would often trip on curbs and just didn’t seem to see as well as her sisters, but her annual eye checkups were always normal. In February of her Kindergarten year, she had a vision screening at school that showed she was seeing 20/45 with her left eye. She was seen by her primary optometrist within a couple of weeks, and diagnosed with amblyopia. We were relieved when told that it was correctable with eye patching, which we were told to do for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Within 3 months, her vision had improved to 20/25 and we were able to quit eye patching. However, within four months, we could tell her vision was worse again.

So, November of her 1st grade year we went back to her optometrist, and the same patching regimen was prescribed. This time, her vision didn’t improve quite as much, but her doctor felt it wouldn’t get any better, so after a few months we were told the eye patching was no longer necessary to do. A few months down the road, at our annual eye checkup, we were told for the third time that we had to eye patch again. At each appointment, we were told that glasses wouldn’t help her vision loss because it was a brain problem, not an eye problem. At this point, we were frustrated because the patching didn’t stabilize her vision long term. We were told there was nothing else we could do (other than the patching). Kinsey dreams of becoming a veterinarian, yet she possibly didn’t have the vision she needed to pursue her dream.

So, what to do…? Research!

We read about vision therapy and how it is often successful in correcting amblyopia! There WAS something we could do! We found several vision therapists, all quite a distance away. We contacted three or four of them. Dr. Fisher was the first one to reply back, and I was quite impressed that I actually got to talk to the eye doctor and not a receptionist! Dr. Fisher got us right in for a comprehensive eye exam, where she was prescribed glasses as a first step in correcting her amblyopia. Further testing revealed what Kinsey needed help with.

Finding Dr. Fisher

We were impressed from the beginning with Dr. Fisher, she’s patient, kind, and passionate about helping her patients! Dr. Fisher worked with Kinsey in every in-office therapy session (if we would have worked with any of the other vision therapy offices I called, Kinsey would have been working with an assistant, not an eye doctor, for most of her therapy). As a parent, it was hard seeing Kinsey struggle with tasks in the home therapy sessions. The first therapy sessions worked on improving her vision, then moved to getting her eyes working together, and finally on depth perception. Vision therapy was exhausting to Kinsey. But, was it worth it? Absolutely! Her 3-D depth perception increased from just a few feet, out to 15’+ of depth perception. She can relax and tighten her eyes as she desires. Her left eye doesn’t “turn off” (something she had lived with for years!)! The tests she failed prior to vision therapy, she passed. She doesn’t trip on curbs, her eyes don’t get tired when reading (she’s an avid reader), and she doesn’t get overwhelmed as easily.

Dr. Fisher made us feel comfortable and confident in her abilities to help Kinsey. It was amazing to get to visit with Dr. Fisher prior to our first appointment, and then to have Dr. Fisher work with Kinsey in each and every therapy session was top-notch! Dr. Fisher’s work with Kinsey has set her on a path so she has the vision to pursue her dreams in life, and for that we are very thankful!