It didn't take long for me to make a decision. I kept thinking about one thing. If I didn't try, I would never know. The worst thing that can happen after my six month trial is nothing. Really, what did I have to lose but time and money? Those two resources are not nearly as valuable as regaining vision in my amblyopic eye. The path ahead of me was clear. I simply needed to embrace my decision and go for it!
I took the plunge and made the six month commitment with my developmental optomitrist, Dr. K. My first vision therapy appointment was fairly uneventful. I spent most of the 45 minutes completing an assessment with a computer program called Interactive Metronome. A sensor was strapped on to one of my hands and the program was started. I had to make circular motions with my arms and clap my hands together each time I heard the cowbell in the headphones I wore. A series of dots on the computer screen would tell me if I was hitting precisely at the moment that the cowbell was sounded. It measured each strike down to a tenth of a second!
The sequence of interactive assessments progressed from the right hand to the left, from the right foot to the left foot, the right hand and left foot alternating, and then the left hand and right foot alternating. Then I had to stand in front of the foot pad and do heel taps. You got it, first the right, then the left, then alternating right and left. The testing concluded by having me go back to hand circles; but this time buzzers would tell me if I was striking too early or too late. If I was right I would hear a pleasant sound.
I discovered a couple of things about my rhythm and coordination -- I definitely had some real challenges to overcome! I swore up and down that I was striking precisely when I heard the cowbell, but the majority of the time I was too early by several milliseconds. I had a hard time understanding how this would help my vision; I guess I had to just "go with it." Certainly I would ask my doctor about the program and better understand how it works to train the brain to process sensory information.
After the Interactive Metronome session, the vision therapist introduced me to my first homework. She handed me a DVD case and took me to a computer where the program was already loaded. The program was called Perceptual Visual Tracking Program. Although there are several interactive activities on the DVD, it begins with several moving shapes across the screen. The vision therapist told me that we would begin by strengthening both eyes independently prior to doing any therapy requiring the use of my two eyes working together. She instructed me to start the program by wearing a patch over my bad eye and completing one level using my good eye. Then I could complete the rest of the session, for a total of 15 minutes, using my bad eye.
It is kind of like a moving target or arcade game. The program shows me a shape, picture, or letter and the object is for me to watch different shapes, pictures, or letters fly across the screen from left to right, pressing the space bar each time I find a matching one. With my good eye, this seems WAY TOO EASY. Almost laughable. However, when I patched my good eye and tried to complete a level with my bad eye, I couldn't believe how poorly I could see out of that eye. Supposedly I am to position my body 16 inches from the computer screen. In order for me to see the objects, I have to be about 5 inches away.
I have been using the computer program for a few days now and have been making steady progress. I must admit, I have had to repeat many levels though, failing to pass with no more than 30% incorrect responses. My therapist told me that I would receive a new program on Monday, one that would work to help strengthen my amblyopic eye.
The opening ceremonies have past and the games have now begun. I can only hope that one day I will be standing on that winner's podium proudly displaying the reward for all the hard work and training. My reward may not be a medallion of gold, silver, or bronze. Instead, it will be a beautiful blue eye that works in synchrony with its mate. To me, no greater prize could be won.
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