The Mind’s Eye Center employs both traditional methods and cutting-edge technology, to treat visual deficiencies such as amblyopia, strabismus, brain injuries, and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as enhancing sports vision. Our advanced optometric vision therapy goes beyond standard orthoptics, focusing on the collaboration between the eyes and the brain, and is tailored to each individual’s needs—similar to physical therapy but with a cognitive component. Our comprehensive approach includes therapeutic lenses, prisms, perceptual games, advanced 3D technology, occlusion and filters, balance boards, sensory integration technology, and specialized vision therapy software. Our virtual reality program is designed specifically by optometrists for these conditions, for a more interactive and immersive experience.
“Prior to vision therapy my son had 3-4 headaches per week and after suffering a few migraines we decided to start vision therapy. After a few months we started to see little to no headaches and have not had a migraine since!”
“So much better! Double vision is rare now and not confusing. I can tell which one is ‘real’ easily. I feel much safer driving! Very glad I came, plus the sessions were fun!”
“My daughter began vision therapy shortly after she was prescribed glasses due to esotropia. She loved coming to vision therapy. Valen was amazing at making all her exercises seem like fun. She had a blast. A made great improvement on being able to track, focus, and turn her eye outward. Valen was so knowledgeable and gave us work that we could easily do anywhere to continue to strengthen her eye. I would highly recommend the Mind’s Eye Center to anyone to strengthen their eyes and work for any vision needs! We are so grateful for their work and collaboration!”
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Olivia, age 14, excels in sports, partakes actively in club activities, and is a social butterfly among her peers. In contrast to her accomplished co-curricular resume, her academic results were somewhat lackluster.
“She had been experiencing double vision, words blurring when reading, and eye pain under the glare of light,” her mother shared. “Her symptoms included being bothered by light, covering an eye while reading, and losing her place in a sentence.” Elaine also struggled with reading comprehension and she tired easily after near task activities.
Although her mother initially suspected these symptoms of learning difficulties as dyslexia, Olivia had convergence and accommodation insufficiency. She started vision therapy and made significant improvements in her studies. Olivia is thrilled to also report that following vision therapy, she is no longer bothered by light and she finds it much easier to read.
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When John put on his first pair of glasses at age 6, his mother remembers him saying, “Wow! Things aren’t smeary.” But, at age 8, he was still having reading issues. His mother recalls that following his annual eye appointment, the doctor referred John for vision therapy consultation for amblyopia. “Gratefully, we entered the vision therapy program where every week over the course of a year John enjoyed what he called “playing eye games with fun eye therapists.” John now has strong eye teaming and, with the help of his glasses, he has regained his binocularity and 3D vision.
Today, John is a happy 10-year-old, reading at grade level and doing math at a higher grade level. He no longer struggles to read or learn. He even plays soccer on two teams— one recreation team and one advanced team.
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Maria, age 46, was in a car accident in July, 2015. “Following the accident, I did everything suggested as a traumatic brain injury patient and had balance therapy for extreme vertigo,” She said. “But I still felt off.”
As a CPA, Bianca worked long hours at the computer. Working on Excel spreadsheets and reading. “I suffered headaches and fatigue. I was very moody, which isn’t my normal personality.” Her physical therapist recommended vision therapy. “My Optometrist understood and recognized my problems right away.” Maria noticed improvements every week. “Little by little, it all started coming back to me,” she said. “I realized one day I had read for 30 minutes and then another day for 45 minutes.” As an avid tennis player, Maria was heartbroken that she could not play following the accident. “I couldn’t even think about playing tennis, hiking or skiing.”
But, thanks to vision therapy, Maria has improved so much and has found herself on the tennis courts again. “I am thrilled that we are going skiing this year. I am so grateful to my doctor and vision therapist for helping me get my life back. And, my husband is happy that I’m a lot less moody!”
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Becky shared that her son, Aidan, “avoided learning how to ride a bike and had no interest in organized sports.” He was struggling in third grade, distracted at school, and frustrated with homework.
“We first heard about vision therapy from our Optometrist , but it took us about a year to decide it was the right decision for Aidan,” she said. “When the doctor was describing vision therapy to me, I realized Aidan struggled in everything she mentioned. We enrolled him in vision therapy and started noticing changes in him in only six weeks.” After completing his vision therapy program, Becky said “He is making straight A’s every week. He is playing flag football, scoring touchdowns even, and recently at a Cub Scouts meeting volunteered to be the first one to climb a rock wall.” Additionally, he is focused at school, using his time productively, and he likes to read. “One day he asked to learn to ride a bike and by afternoon he was doing it!” Now he would like to ski.
“Vision therapy unlocked so many things for him. I feel so lucky and I am so proud of him. He is now the happiest, most confident kid.”
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David, age 59, fell off a ladder and was knocked unconscious. He was diagnosed with a Grade 3 (severe) concussion. “Cranial nerve palsy led to 11 months of blurry and double vision,” David said. David received help from a vestibular rehabilitation specialist, who recommended vision therapy. “Initially, if I held my head straight, everything was blurry, but if I tilted my chin down and used my upward gaze, I could see clearly. At first, I had to talk to people and even back my car out of the driveway with my chin down looking up,” he laughed. David struggled with fatigue and had extreme sensitivity to light for many months. “I felt like I was in a dense fog all the time.”
Vision therapy has helped David to recover. “I kept seeing improvement, slowly but surely. I feel great now and happy to be back doing things I love like playing and coaching basketball.”
All names have been changed to protect the privacy of our patients
Vision therapy is a non surgical treatment that aims to improve visual function. The foundation of vision therapy lies in neuroplasticity- the ability to rewire and retrain the brain and build new neural pathways. Therapy can be done to improve eye alignment, eye tracking and focusing abilities, enhance visual processing skills, improve depth perception and motion perception, reduce eye strain, eye fatigue, and headaches associated with visual difficulties.
In vision therapy, we use a variety of techniques and tools to support treatment. Since our big muscles (body) help teach our smaller muscles (eyes), we incorporate engaging gross motor activities to strengthen visual skills. We also utilize specialized lenses, prisms, and polarized glasses during interactive games and activities. In addition to these hands-on approaches, we integrate advanced technology, including 3D TV, touch-screen programs, and virtual reality. Our Virtual Reality program is uniquely designed by optometrists to patients specific diagnosis
Our binocular vision doctors are Sydney Kapp and Kristi Kading. Please schedule with them via the link below
Not everyone who needs vision correction requires glasses or contacts. Sometimes, the issue lies in how the eyes work together or how the brain interprets visual information. Vision therapy can address a variety of problems that might be impacting your daily life.
If you’re experiencing any of these problems or suspect you’re experiencing a vision issue that glasses or contacts haven’t fully addressed, our team at Specialty Eye can help. We’ll conduct a comprehensive eye exam to assess your needs and determine if vision therapy is the right course of action for you.
Conditions We Can Manage
Vision therapy can be beneficial for a wide range of people experiencing vision problems. Vision therapy programs can help people manage, and in some cases, overcome the effects of:
Symptoms to Look Out for
Some of the specific issues and symptoms that can be addressed with vision therapy include:
Focusing Difficulties
Eye Teaming Issues
Poor hand-eye coordination, affecting sports performance or daily activities
Tracking Problems
Visual Processing Problems
Comprehensive Evaluation: Schedule a 2-part evaluation with our doctors at Specialty Eye. This evaluation will assess your vision and includes a complete eye exam and other tests that help identify and pinpoint underlying visual processing issues.
Review of Personalized Treatment Plan: Our therapy team will design a customized vision therapy program tailored to the patient's specific needs and diagnosis based on the evaluation results. A consultation will be scheduled (in person or virtual)- if it is for a child we ask that both parents be present. During this time we will discuss the diagnosis, treatment plan, scheduling, and pricing.
Weekly Therapy Sessions:You'll have weekly vision therapy sessions lasting 45 minutes each, with convenient evening and virtual appointments available to accommodate your schedule and location. Your therapy program will also include engaging games and home activities tailored to your specific needs and preferences, making the experience interactive, enjoyable, and designed to reinforce the skills learned during sessions.
Progress Monitoring: Regular progress evaluations with the overseeing doctor will be scheduled every 10–12 weeks to track improvement and ensure the therapy program remains effective.
Post-Program Care: Following program completion, you’ll return for a follow-up appointment 3 months later to monitor your visual functioning and help you reach and maintain long-term success. This helps to solidify the improvements gained through vision therapy and prevent regression.
Points 1, 4 & 5 are at Specialty Eye, and the rest are completed at The Minds Eye Center
Are you interested in our vision therapy program? Check your symptoms to see if vision therapy may benefit you, or take our brain injury symptom survey.
Learn More
The COVD Website is an excellent place to learn more about vision problems, optometric vision therapy, and read research. More of our favorite resources include:
Primitive Reflex Testing & Integration: Primitive reflexes are involuntary movements present in infancy that help with development. Incomplete integration of these reflexes can sometimes impact vision and learning, affecting eye teaming, eye hand coordination,visual motor skills and spatial awareness.
Do you take insurance? We are out of network with all insurance companies.
The Mind’s Eye Center does not work directly with any insurance networks, allowing us the flexibility to prioritize individualized care and tailor treatment plans to meet the unique needs of each patient. While we are not in-network with any insurance providers, we are committed to working closely with patients to ensure competitive pricing and financial accessibility. Our experience has shown that in many cases, our services can be more cost-effective than traditional insurance routes, allowing patients to receive high-quality care without financial burden. We are dedicated to fostering a supportive and collaborative environment where patients can achieve optimal vision health, regardless of insurance affiliations. Please ask about our payment plan options at your consultation.
Can I start therapy without an evaluation at Specialty Eye?
You will need to be seen by our doctors at Specialty Eye to determine the treatment plan.
Is vision therapy the same for everyone?
We treat many diagnoses, but we tailor our program to each patient based on their diagnosis, specific age, needs and goals. Our therapy is one-on-one with a specially trained vision therapist. The doctor-therapist team plans activities and sets up conditions for high level learning during the session to teach the brain and eyes.
What is the time commitment?
The prescribing doctor will prescribe vision therapy for increments of 3,6,9 month treatment plans (an average of 6+ months of treatment for most diagnosis). The patient will then see a therapist weekly, for an in-office 45-minute session. The doctor/therapist team will plan each session to create personalized high-level activities. If the patient or parent is open to it, activities will be sent home for reinforcement of what is being learned in office. Vision therapy is an investment for the patient’s future well-being and an opportunity to meet their potential. We see vision therapy change lives every day!
I am/my child is very busy. I don’t know if I/we have time for this treatment.
We understand that life is very busy and that every patient has their own priorities and responsibilities. We recommend that vision therapy be a priority for a while in you/your child’s life because vision plays a huge part in our academics, work, and daily activities. This program has been designed for the purpose of teaching the patient visual skills and processing that will remove barriers to meeting potential and/or a more efficient and less symptomatic life. We agree that vision therapy should be done when you can commit to it.
How will I know when I am done with vision therapy?
Evaluations with the doctor are scheduled approximately every 12 sessions to evaluate progress, goals met and determine more specific treatment goals for the next sessions. The doctor/therapist team will evaluate therapy progress throughout the program and recommend a graduation date based on diagnostic data, symptoms improved, and goals met. We want the investment of time and finances our patients make to be maximized so we recommend graduation when we see mastery of the visual and visual processing skills - this is when they become automatic without conscious effort.
How soon can I see results from vision therapy?
Every patient is individual in how their brain responds to learning the vision and visual processing changes in therapy. Even patients with the same diagnosis are affected differently and some have struggles longer, but oftentimes we see some positive changes around 4-6 weeks into therapy. Oftentimes, there are many, many small changes the brain is learning that take some time to become a new “brain habit” and translate into everyday life.
How much will therapy cost?
Without having an evaluation with Specialty Eye we can not give you a total cost of treatment. We are happy to provide a variety of options for payment plans.
Who do I talk to for billing questions?
Please reference the Vision Therapy Treatment Agreement for procedure billing codes or your superbill for any billed diagnosis codes. Although we are not contracted directly with any insurance company, our Vision Therapy Coordinator is available to answer general questions by phone or email. We highly recommend calling your insurance company with any specific questions regarding your plan and making sure to use The Mind's Eye Center (Northwest Vision Therapy) TAX ID and procedure code listed on the Treatment Agreement.
What happens if I must miss a Vision Therapy session?
We understand that life happens, and it can be a challenge to complete every session weekly. We encourage you to ensure that vision therapy is attended every week over the course of the treatment plan, as the majority of improvement (>90%) from doing vision therapy occurs as a result of the in-person therapy session. If you do have an unforeseeable circumstance (ie. sickness, etc) that arises, rest assured you can schedule a make-up vision therapy appointment at no additional charge. Please note: make-up appointments are a first come, first serve basis and are limited in availability. Be aware that any make-up session may be scheduled with another therapist. Any make-up appointments need to be completed within the treatment plan in order for pre-payment therapy charges to be applied. Missing more than 3 consecutive weekly vision therapy sessions may result in an extension of your original treatment plan, and will not be covered under the current treatment plan's costs.