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"What did I gain by doing Vision Therapy? I believe a much, much faster recovery, and possibly, in the long run, better vision than I started with before the stroke. I believe that the fast start that I took getting into Vision Therapy made my recovery far more successful than many others in the same situation. The additional support system of being with the positive and encouraging vision therapists, twice a week, also had a very positive impact on my recovery. I could not have done this at home on my own. I have regained my life!"

Michelle A. Hnath  

My story...

"I awoke one morning with double vision, due to a paralyzed left eye muscle which I later learned was due to a stroke, at age 37, on a thin, fit mother of two small children. My left eye turned in completely toward my nose, reminding me of the Siamese cats I've had. I was also dealing with total numbness on my right side. After spending many hours with me for three weeks, Dr. Copeland fitted me with prism glasses to move the images together, and I started Vision Therapy. The therapists were so kind, caring and incredibly helpful. Every six weeks I got new prism glasses with a weaker prescription. Once my eye was positioned correctly again, I continued working hard to retrain my eyes to work together.

I corresponded on the Web with others who have the same brain disorder, Cavernous Angioma of the brain stem. All of us have had to deal with double vision and a numb side. The numbness usually cleared in under a year, but many said their double vision lasted for years.

I was determined to see properly again and drive again. I was very aggressive with Vision Therapy, and did the at-home therapy for at least thirty minutes a day, six days a week for four months.

After the first two months of therapy, the swelling in my brain reduced, and my eye started regaining its normal position. Following another few months of therapy, I began to drive around my neighborhood, still with prism glasses and some double vision to my far left. What a glorious feeling that was!

Three months later, I no longer needed prism glasses and was driving a bit further. After eight months of therapy, no one but me would know that I had had a visual challenge. Today, I can tell that a tiny visual disturbance exists on my far left peripheral area, but it is amazingly slight. I still do the at-home therapy to continue improving, but I am doing so, so much better. My hand and arm are still partially numb, but I can see well!!!"