It Could Be Your Eyes
Are you a parent who has been searching for answers to why your child is struggling academically? Have you been told that your child needs strabismus surgery or patching, and it just doesn’t feel right to you? Are you trying to set your kiddo with sensory needs up for success and feeling lost in the process? Have you suffered a brain injury or concussion and refuse to accept that these current limitations are your permanent “new normal”? My name is Dr. Juanita Collier and I am a Behavioral Optometrist with a private practice specializing in Vision Therapy, Rehabilitation, and Development. Through diving deep with my team, parents, patients, and professionals, we will uncover that vision may be the underlying cause of real life challenges in academics, work, sports, and daily life. While we often think 20/20 eyesight is perfect vision, vision actually takes place in the brain. And if there is any disconnect, any slight lack of coordination between the brain and the eyes, how you see what’s in front of you can be remarkably different than what’s actually there. Through this podcast, you will discover, that the challenges that you are facing may actually be stemming from a difficulty with how you’re seeing…It Could Be Your Eyes.
It Could Be Your Eyes
A Kid’s-Eye View of Vision Therapy
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
đź‘€ What is vision therapy really like for a child?
In this special episode, we hear directly from Wesley, an 8-year-old vision therapy graduate, who bravely shares his experience in his own words. Wesley walks us through what an eye exam feels like for a kid, what was hard for him before vision therapy, and how things changed after completing his program.
This episode offers parents a rare, honest look at vision therapy from the child’s perspective—helping families understand what their child might experience and why the work is worth it.
🧠In This Episode, Wesley Shares:
- What an eye exam is like when you’re a kid
- What he was struggling with before starting vision therapy
- How vision therapy helped him at school and in daily life
- His favorite vision therapy activities
- Encouraging advice for kids who are currently doing vision therapy
đź’ˇ Why This Episode Matters
- Hearing directly from a child helps demystify vision therapy for parents and kids alike
- Kids often describe their challenges differently than adults—and those insights matter
- Success stories from children can help normalize the process and reduce anxiety for families just starting out
(00:00) Intro
(00:35) Meet Wesley – A Kid’s Perspective
(01:16) What Happens During an Eye Exam?
(03:15) Distance Vision & Teamwork Between the Eyes
(04:29) Vision Processing & Eye-Brain Connection
(05:02) When Words Look Double
(06:25) How Vision Therapy Helped (Without Glasses)
(06:52) Favorite Activity: Slap Tap
(07:57) Most Challenging Exercise: Michigan Tracking
(09:05) Reading & Math Improvements (Mad Minute Explained)
(10:26) Book Recommendations – I Survived Series
(11:49) Graphic Novels vs. Chapter Books
(13:02) Why Some Kids Don’t Realize They See Double
(14:15) Advice for Kids Starting Vision Therapy
(15:16) Outro
❤️ A Note for Parents
If you’re considering vision therapy for your child or your child is currently in a program, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and encouragement—from someone who’s been there and come out stronger on the other side.
🎧 Listen & Share
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in.
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with another family who may be wondering what vision therapy is like for kids.