When you think of an eye exam, you might envision reading a chart of letters and updating your prescription. However, at the Neuro-Visual Performance Institute in Versailles, Kentucky, Dr. Rick Graebe FCOVD takes eye care to a whole new level. His approach to Vision Therapy assesses not only how well you see, but how your eyes, brain, and body work together to create a fully functional vision system.
A Comprehensive Approach to Vision Care
While maintaining eye health and ensuring the right prescription is important, Dr. Graebe goes beyond that by assessing the entire visual system. This includes evaluating how your eyes focus, how they move, and how the brain processes visual information. His use of advanced tools like the dynamic retinoscope offers a more complete picture of how your eyes perform, especially during tasks like reading or working on a computer. For patients who struggle with these tasks, Dr. Graebe often prescribes computer glasses to reduce headaches and eye strain, making daily activities more comfortable.
Visual Efficiency and Vision Processing
After a traditional eye exam, patients move into a specialized performance room where Dr. Graebe conducts additional tests that focus on two critical areas: visual efficiency and vision processing.
- Visual Efficiency – Dr. Graebe uses a tool called the visigraph, which tracks and records eye movements while reading. This tool identifies common issues like difficulty following lines of text or eye strain. If patients struggle with smooth eye movements, it may result in fatigue, loss of concentration, and poor reading performance. For many patients, this test uncovers underlying issues that can be addressed with therapy to improve reading fluency.
- Vision Processing – In this stage, Dr. Graebe evaluates how well the brain interprets visual information. A simple pen-and-paper test that involves identifying backward letters can reveal deeper issues in how the brain processes what the eyes see. These problems can affect daily tasks like reading and other detailed work, often going unnoticed until they begin to cause frustration.
Personalized Vision Therapy Solutions
When issues are identified, Dr. Graebe designs a tailored series of vision therapy exercises aimed at integrating the eyes, brain, and body. For instance, patients might perform full-body movements, like snow angels, in the therapy room to help synchronize the visual system with physical movements. This comprehensive approach helps patients not only see more clearly but also process visual information more effectively in real-world situations.
A recent patient from Nicholasville, KY, for example, had been struggling with reading and concentration. After a thorough evaluation at the Neuro-Visual Performance Institute, it was clear the issue wasn’t just about needing glasses but involved deeper problems with eye movement and visual processing. With a personalized vision therapy program, the patient made significant progress in school performance and overall confidence.
Why Neuro-Visual Performance Matters
Many people assume that good vision is all about seeing clearly, but there’s much more to it. If you or your child is experiencing headaches, difficulty reading, or trouble focusing during close-up tasks, it could be due to problems with how the eyes and brain work together. Dr. Graebe’s unique approach to neuro-visual performance targets these underlying issues, helping patients improve not just their vision but their overall daily performance.
With locations in Versailles, serving the greater Lexington area, and Somerset, Neuro-Visual Performance Institute is one of the few practices in Central and Southern Kentucky offering this level of specialized care.
Schedule Your Neuro-Visual Performance Exam Today
Don’t let hidden vision issues hold you or your child back. Whether you’re in Lexington, Somerset, or nearby areas like Danville or Berea, the Neuro-Visual Performance Institute can help you or your child achieve clearer, more functional vision.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Rick Graebe FCOVD, call us today at 859-879-0089 and take the first step toward better visual performance.
Credit:
This blog is based on information from Dr. Rick Graebe as compiled and written by John Lynch.