Tools You Can Use This Week
You don't need to become a vision expert to make a difference. The most impactful thing a teacher can do is notice the signs, share the right resource with a parent, and suggest the right kind of evaluation. Everything on this page is designed to make that easy.
What Every Teacher Should Know About Visual Skills
The Screening Survey
This is the same survey that Dr. Graebe gives out at his school presentations. It's a simple checklist that parents (or teachers) can fill out. If a child scores high, they're likely a good candidate for a functional vision evaluation.
All NVPI contact information is on the survey, including both the Versailles and Somerset locations.
Print it, hand it to a parent, and let the survey do the talking.
Three Video Stories That Show How Care Can Change Daily Life
PATIENT STORIES • READING • FOCUS • CONFIDENCE
Hear from families and patients who share real progress in reading, focus, eye alignment, and confidence through care at NVPI.
"It really helped me with focusing, and I had a lot of trouble reading before."
JP's Story
Eye Therapy Helped Me Focus & Read Better
"She's had dramatic improvement in her reading ability, and her eye doesn't turn in anymore."
Reading & Eye Alignment Story
Vision Therapy Corrected My Eye Turn and Helped My Reading
"My son jumped two full reading grade levels in 3 months."
Miles' Story
Jumping Two Grade Levels in 3 Months
"It really helped me with focusing, and I had a lot of trouble reading before."
JP's Story
Eye Therapy Helped Me Focus & Read Better
"She's had dramatic improvement in her reading ability, and her eye doesn't turn in anymore."
Her Story
Correcting an Eye Turn and Improving Reading
"My son jumped two full reading grade levels in 3 months."
Miles' Story
Jumping Two Grade Levels in 3 Months
A Printable Checklist for Your Desk
This one-page checklist organizes the signs described throughout this guide into a quick-reference format you can keep at your desk or in your planner.
- Loses place frequently while reading
- Uses finger to track every line
- Holds books or papers unusually close or far
- Tilts or turns head to one side during reading
- Covers or closes one eye
- Avoids reading whenever possible
- Complains of headaches, tired eyes, or words "moving"
- Reading comprehension doesn't match verbal intelligence
- Performance declines as the day goes on
- Inconsistent letter size and spacing
- Difficulty staying on lines
- Writing is significantly worse than verbal ability
- Grips pencil unusually tight or at an odd angle
- Can't sit still during near work but is fine during active tasks
- Seems to notice everything, easily distracted by movement, sounds, other students
- "Zones out" during instruction then can't recall what was said
- Pokes, taps, or fidgets with objects constantly
- Frequently late, disorganized, or forgets materials
- Rubs eyes frequently
- Squints or blinks excessively
- Red or watery eyes after reading
- Clumsy, bumps into things, misjudges distances
- Bright and articulate but underperforming on paper
- Performance dropped significantly after 3rd grade
- Has been evaluated for ADHD, dyslexia, or other learning differences without clear resolution
- School vision screening came back "normal"
If you check 3 or more items, consider sharing this checklist and the Quality of Life Survey with the child's parents. Suggest they ask their eye doctor about a functional vision evaluation, not just a standard eye exam.
Conversation Starters for Parents
Bringing up a potential vision problem can feel awkward, especially when the child "passed" their school screening. Here are three approaches that work:
"Have you had [child's name] evaluated for a functional vision problem? It's different from a regular eye exam. A regular exam checks whether they can see the chart. A functional evaluation checks whether their eyes and brain are working together efficiently, things like eye tracking, focusing stamina, and how well the eyes coordinate at reading distance. A lot of the things I'm seeing in class can have a visual root that wouldn't show up on a regular screening."
"I hear that a lot, and it makes sense. Most eye exams only test one part of vision. There's a screening survey I can give you that looks at the functional side of vision. If you're curious, it only takes a few minutes, and it can tell you whether it's worth looking into further."
"I'm sharing this with a few parents this year. It's a screening survey from a vision clinic in Kentucky that specializes in how vision affects learning. No pressure at all, but if anything on it rings a bell, it might be worth looking into."
Then hand them the Quality of Life Survey.
Short Videos That Explain It Better Than We Can
NVPI's YouTube channel has a growing library of 2-minute explainer videos on the topics covered in this guide. These are designed to be shared with parents, with other teachers, or just to deepen your own understanding.
Bring This Presentation to Your School
Everything in this guide comes from a presentation Dr. Graebe gave to a group of teachers, and it changed how they thought about the students in their classrooms. If your faculty would benefit from hearing this in person, NVPI offers school presentations at no cost.
Dr. Graebe covers the vision-learning connection, walks through real testing data, and answers questions from teachers. The presentation includes printed copies of the Quality of Life Survey for every teacher in attendance.
Our Valued Patients
Learn how our personalized vision care has made a lasting difference in the lives of those we’ve helped.
Contact NVPI
Address: 380 Mall Road, Suite 300
Versailles, KY 40383
Phone: (859) 554-3800
Hours: Mon–Thu: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Sat–Sun: Closed
Address: 201 Langdon Street
Somerset, KY 42503
Phone: (606) 678-4474
Hours: Call for current hours and availability
First visit: A one-hour assessment with Dr. Graebe. The initial consultation is designed to be accessible. Contact the office for current pricing and availability.
Insurance: NVPI works with patients on flexible payment options and can provide documentation for insurance submissions.
Explore More NVPI Resources
Learn more about how vision affects learning, performance, and daily life. NVPI serves children, adults, athletes, and brain injury patients across Kentucky and beyond.
Schedule Today
